The Bright Empires ~ Series Review

The Bright Empires series

By Stephen R. Lawhead

Read by Simon Bubb

In a change of pace, I'm doing a look back at one of my favorite series. This time instead of reading the books I went the audiobook route, which I borrowed from my local library. 

(And you have to read the books in order to fully enjoy and understand everything!) 

The Universe is vast- more vast than most people can possibly fathom.  There are billions of galaxies in our Universe alone.  In addition there an unknown number of dimensions as equally vast as our own Universe.  If you don't believe me just ask Kit Livingstone (if you can find him, that is!)



The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead opens with The Skin Map.  In this we are introduced to Cosimo "Kit" Christopher Livingstone who is about to begin the adventure of a lifetime.  Kit is about to follow his great-grandfather Cosimo Livingstone on a search for the Skin Map, a search that will span centuries and dimensions.  A search that could destroy everything in the omniverse if they accidentally change history in just one dimension.

But what is this Skin Map and why is it so sought after?  The skin map was created by Arthur Flinders-Petrie as a series of various symbols tattooed upon his body that were turned into parchment upon his death.  The greatest of his various mapped symbols leads to the greatest of treasures - the Well of Souls.

But nothing is ever easy and Kit, his great-grandfather and the Questors are not the only ones seeking the map.  Burley and his men are seeking it too and he plans to use the power he would gain in untold evil.

But due to his inexperience Kit, Cosimo and Sir Henry have a secondary quest, to rescue Kit's girlfriend Wilhelmina "Mina" from whatever time/dimension she was pulled into.  But nothing ever goes as planned and the three are separated.  The Skin Map is filled with unexpected twists and turns up until the very end so that you are left wondering what comes next in The Bone House book 2.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Bone House.  

With the unexpected deaths of Cosimo Livingstone and Sir Henry at the hands of Archelaeus Burleigh, Kit  must rely on the Ley traveling skills that Mina has developed since she was transported to 17th century Prague.

But with time/dimensional travel there are a variety of trips covered in The Bone House including Kit's visit to Egypt in 1822 where he meets up with Doctor Thomas Young who are both on a mission that was brought about by Mina. While Kit is in Egypt with Dr. Young, Mina and Giles are with Dr. Young in Edinburgh.

Arthur Flinders-Petrie's life is further revealed as are the exploits of his great-grandson Douglas Flinders-Petrie to obtain the Skin Map that Arthur created.

When Mina, Kit, and Giles finally arrive at Mina's new home in Prague, they are shocked to discover the one man that they are trying to avoid is there!  Burleigh is in Prague and all too soon discovers that Kit and Giles did not die in the Egyptian tomb they were imprisoned in.  In their attempt to escape Burleigh, Giles is injured and Kit manages to make it to the Ley line that Mina had directed them to.  But Kit finds himself in the Stone Age where he makes a discovery he was not expecting the Bone House.

 The Bone House is filled with trips that span the centuries and the globe will leave you anticipating what will come next in The Spirit Well book 3.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Spirit Well.  

The Bone House left us with Kit having discovered what he believes to be the Spirit Well, a conclusion he came to after observing Arthur Flinders-Petrie enter a deep water-filled environment with a dead woman who is restored to life.

Mina, after being warned by Haven of Burleigh's suspicions, has left Prague in the hopes of somehow locating Kit.  When she can find no sign of him, Mina goes to Spain in the hopes that Brother Lazarus can help her in her quest.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to Cassandra Clarke who, while on a dig in Arizona, discovers by accident the Ghost Walk.  But when she determines to study this phenomenon she jumps to other places and becomes lost to her time and place, ending up in 1950s Damascus.  There she finds the Zetetic Society who are seeking to achieve God's purpose for His creation - unity and harmony as the Creator intended and to be fully realized at "the end of time and the beginning of eternity.

In the Spirit Well we discover the circumstances that resulted in the creation of the Skin Map and its separation as well as Burleigh's discovery of the ley lines.

The Zetetic Society is searching for Sir Henry, Cosimo, and Kit who have disappeared along with Sir Henry's portion of the map.  The society feels that discovering them is of the highest priority and assign this task to Cassandra.

Treachery and betrayals abound as many search for the greatest discovery of Arthur Flinders-Petrie.  A discovery that Kit has discovered, but can he find his way back?

As is often mentioned by various characters throughout the series There are no coincidences.  There is a purpose behind everything that happens in our lives though we may not be able to ascertain it at the time.

The Spirit Well is filled with trips that span the centuries and the globe will leave you anticipating what will come next in book 4 The Shadow Lamp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead continues with The Shadow Lamp.

Ley travel is imprecise, but it can be done to within a few days of when one wants to arrive unless something goes wrong.  And as is often the case something does go wrong for several of our ley travelers.  But this is all part of the journey.  The journey to reach the Spirit Well that Kit discovered by accident when he was misdirected into the Stone Age.  But the Bone House is no longer accessible and a large tree is in its place.  And the gargantuan yew is channeling an enormous amount of energy from the ley in which it is growing.

Cassandra points out an amazing coincidence to Kit in that the yew tree is a symbol of immortality and eternity and in a sense that is what they are searching for in the Spirit Well. But little does Kit know that he may hold the answer to saving the Omniverse, the known and unknown, from complete and total annihilation!

Time from the first moments of Creation is at stake if the event that caused the imbalance is not found. The ever-expanding universe is beginning to retract upon itself and time is growing short.  An act of Arthur Flinders-Petrie may destroy everything, and we will be alive to witness our own obliteration!

The Shadow Lamp will span centuries and dimensions and if you are very observant you just may see the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning in book 5 The Fatal Tree.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Bright Empire series by Stephen R Lawhead concludes with The Fatal Tree.

It starts with odd little wrinkles in reality and when the anomalies accumulate to a level that a dimension can no longer sustain - that dimension along with all those living in it will be extinguished as if they had never existed... THE END OF EVERYTHING is here and we are about to slip over a cosmic cliff.

Our questors have been separated by both time and space.  The ley lines have become unreliable as the anomalies increase.  And the physical side effects are increasing with each jump making each trip increasingly dangerous.  But the Spirit Well must be reached and they have to discover a way around the Fatal Tree which now guards that which they seek.

One man may have the knowledge they seek, but can they trust the man who has sought to destroy them?  And what ulterior motives could Archelaeus Burleigh be hiding?  Kit knows that the man responsible for his great grandfather's death can't be trusted but Mina, Cass, and Gianni feel that the preservation of the Omniverse is worth the risk.

In this the final book we revisit scenes from the previous books but from the viewpoint of other characters who were part of the original scene.  A true merging of past, present, and future. 

Get ready to go on an adventure that will test your ability to adapt and prepare to grow your mind! Paradoxes, Time loops, and Quantum mechanics, oh my!  The unknown is greater than you ever imagined and one misstep or decision can destroy it all! 

A Time to Die ~ Review

A Time to Die
Out of Time #1
By Nadine Brandes

Parvin Blackwater has a year to live. She lives in a society that syncs a person's life to a clock at conception. There is just one problem with Parvin's clock, she doesn't know if it is truly hers. She and her brother Reid have been sharing one clock their entire lives. For 17 years one of them has been living a lie. One of them has been living without a clock.

Convinced that the clock counting down the last year of life is hers, Parvin decides that she has to live her remaining days so that she can make a difference. Parvin wants to be remembered.

But how can someone from one of the least important cities every rate remembrance past death? Can revealing her story be the path to remembrance? Unfortunately the truth may cost her more than she ever imagined when the authorities learn of it. No one lives beyond the Wall and those who live in defiance of the law are sent to the other side. Parvin is about to meet her fate whether she ready to meet it or not.

The world as we know it has ended. The USA is no more, the west has become a desolate wasteland of instant death. A Wall has been erected to keep those in the east safe from what lies beyond. One can't rise above the life they are born to, though they can fall if deemed a Radical. And Radicals can fall so low that they can be sent through the Wall.

This is a book that will tug at your emotions as Parvin deals with life and all it presents to her. Be warned you may want to have a box of tissues nearby. I highly recommend this moving book - this is a book that both teens and adults will enjoy reading and sharing.

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

How would you live if you knew the day you'd die? 

Parvin Blackwater believes she has wasted her life. At only seventeen, she has one year left according to the Clock by her bedside. In a last-ditch effort to make a difference, she tries to rescue Radicals from the government's crooked justice system. 

But when the authorities find out about her illegal activity, they cast her through the Wall -- her people's death sentence. What she finds on the other side about the world, about eternity, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. But her clock is running out.

Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them ~ Book Blast with Excerpt

Baseball’s Dynasties 
          and the 
Players Who Built Them

By Jonathan Weeks

About the Book:

Title: Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them

Author: Jonathan Weeks

Publisher: Rowan and Littlefield

Pages: 408

Genre: Sports History

Baseball has had its fair share of one-and-out champions, but few clubs have dominated the sport for any great length of time. Given the level of competition and the expansive length of the season, it is a remarkable accomplishment for a team to make multiple World Series appearances in a short timespan. From the Baltimore Orioles of the 1800s who would go to any length to win—including physically accosting opponents—to the 1934 Cardinals known as the “Gashouse Gang” for their rough tactics and determination, and on to George Steinbrenner’s dominant Yankees of the late twentieth century, baseball’s greatest teams somehow found a way to win year after year.

Spanning three centuries of the game, Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them examines twenty-two of baseball’s most iconic teams. Each chapter not only chronicles the club’s era of supremacy, but also provides an in-depth look at the players who helped make their teams great. Nearly two hundred player profiles are included, featuring such well-known stars as Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, and Pete Rose, as well as players who were perhaps overshadowed by their teammates but were nonetheless vital to their team’s reign, such as Pepper Martin, Allie Reynolds, and George Foster.

With a concluding chapter that profiles the clubs that were on the cusp of greatness, Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them is a fascinating survey of what makes some teams dominate year after year while others get only a small taste of glory before falling to the wayside. Written in a lively style with amusing anecdotes and colorful quotes, this comprehensive book will be of interest to all fans and historians of baseball.

For More Information:

• Baseball’s Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes and Noble.

About the Author:

Weeks spent most of his life in the Capital District area of New York. He earned a degree in psychology from SUNY Albany. In 2004, he migrated to Malone, NY. He continues to gripe about the frigid winter temperatures to the present day. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research, he writes about the game because he lacked the skill to play it professionally. He still can't hit a curve ball or lay off the high heat. Baseball’s Dynasties is his fourth nonfiction work.

For More Information

• Visit Jonathan Weeks’ website.
• Connect with Jonathan on Facebook and Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:

With a roster full of superstars, the Orioles captured three straight pennants from 1894–1896. They followed with a pair of near misses, placing second in 1897 and 1898. Along the way, they developed a reputation as one of the nastiest teams in baseball. John Heydler, an umpire who would later ascend to the NL presidency, described the Orioles of the 1890s as “mean, vicious, ready at any time to maim a rival player or an umpire.” Infielder John McGraw was proud of that distinction. “We’d go tearing into a bag with flying spikes as though with murderous intent,” he boasted. “We were a cocky, swashbuckling crew and wanted everybody to know it.”

Pirates great Honus Wagner manufactured a tall tale about a harrowing trip around the bases against the Orioles. After driving a ball deep into the outfield, he claimed to have been tripped at first base by Jack Doyle and then knocked flat by Hughie Jennings at second. Climbing to his feet, he lumbered toward third, only to find John McGraw holding a shotgun on him. “You stop right there!” McGraw allegedly bellowed. Although Wagner’s story is obviously apocryphal, numerous reliable accounts confirm the fact that the Orioles resorted to underhanded tactics regularly. When they weren’t physically accosting opponents, they were treating them to streams of verbal abuse. Baltimore players were so free in their use of profanity that a resolution was adopted in 1898, imposing mandatory expulsions upon anyone using “villainously foul” language.

Even the groundskeepers at Baltimore were deceitful. Soap flakes were mixed with the soil around the pitcher’s mound to make the hands of opposing hurlers slippery when they reached into the dirt.  Orioles moundsmen knew to keep untainted soil in their pockets. The infield was mixed with clay and rarely watered, creating a surface not unlike cement. Baltimore players chopped down on the ball, creating dramatically high hops that gave them a head start to first base (hence, the origin of the term Baltimore chop). The outfield was ruddy and riddled with weeds. Outfielders allegedly kept extra balls hidden out there in the event that the ones in play eluded them.

April CSFF Blog Tour ~ Storm Siren Day 3

Welcome to the 3rd and final day of the April CSFF Blog Tour

This month's featured book is

Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Nym (Nymia) is an Elemental.  But unlike most Elementals she is not male, which is why she escaped execution at birth.

But what is an Elemental?

Storm Siren is an intriguing title and I decided to look into the meaning of this title in relation to how it relates to Nym as an Elemental.

Storm =  a disturbance of the atmosphere marked by wind and usually by rain, snow, hail, sleet, or thunder and lightning
or a serious disturbance of any element of nature
Siren =  a mythical creature that's female and lures men to their deaths 

And then I decided to look up the meaning of Elemental, also in reference to Nym.

Elemental = of, relating to, or resembling a great force of nature

One can assume from these definitions that Nym is indeed a great force of nature who can summon men to their deaths by her ability to effect disturbances in the natural elements of the atmosphere.

With book 2 Siren's Fury due in June I'm interested to see where the series goes next.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in conjunction with this CSFF Blog Tour in exchange for my honest review and tour participation.

Book Description

"I raise my chin as the buyers stare. Yes. Look. You don’t want me. Because, eventually, accidentally, I will destroy you."

In a world at war, a slave girl’s lethal curse could become one kingdom’s weapon of salvation. If the curse—and the girl—can be controlled.

As a slave in the war-weary kingdom of Faelen, seventeen-year-old Nym isn’t merely devoid of rights, her Elemental kind are only born male and always killed at birth—meaning, she shouldn’t even exist.

Standing on the auction block beneath smoke-drenched mountains, Nym faces her fifteenth sell. But when her hood is removed and her storm-summoning killing curse revealed, Nym is snatched up by a court advisor and given a choice: be trained as the weapon Faelen needs to win the war, or be killed.

Choosing the former, Nym is unleashed into a world of politics, bizarre parties, and rumors of an evil more sinister than she’s being prepared to fight . . . not to mention the handsome trainer whose dark secrets lie behind a mysterious ability to calm every lightning strike she summons.

But what if she doesn’t want to be the weapon they’ve all been waiting for?

Set in a beautifully eclectic world of suspicion, super abilities, and monsters, Storm Siren is a story of power. And whoever controls that power will win.

Be sure to visit all the other stops over that were part of this 3 day tour.

Julie Bihn   Lauren Bombardier   Beckie Burnham   Vicky DealSharingAunt 

George Duncan   April Erwin   Carol Gehringer   Victor Gentile  Ryan Heart 

Timothy Hicks   Janeen Ippolito   Carol Keen   Emileigh Latham   Simone Lilly-Egerter 

Jennette Mbewe   Shannon McDermott   Meagan @ Blooming with Books 

Rebecca LuElla Miller   Joan Nienhuis   Nissa   Jalynn Patterson   Audrey Sauble 

Chawna Schroeder   Jojo Sutis   Steve Trower   Phyllis Wheeler   Michelle R. Wood

Learn more about the book and author at:

 Mary Weber.com 
 Mary Weber's Facebook page

Available for purchase at

Amazon 

Dawn of Destiny ~ Review, Author Interview, and Giveaway

Dawn of Destiny
Epic Book 1
By Stephen Lee

Earth is under attack from various species, the Bakma seemingly the most vicious and persistent in their attacks.  Earth's defense is found in EDEN - Earth DEfense Network.  When a Bakma attack takes out almost an entire platoon - Falcon Platoon is rebuilt with rookies - a highly unusual situation, but necessary considering the state Falcon Platoon finds itself in.

It is to Falcon Platoon based out of Richmond that Scott Remington finds himself stationed. Scott never wanted to go to war, but he feels that this is something he has to do, that this is something that God wants him to do.

Scott more than proves himself to the surprise of everyone, but his success may prove to be more curse than blessing.

The audio version of this book is very impressive.  Dawn of Destiny is more than just a narration. This is an extrasensory experience  with a full cast performance and background sound effects that add a depth that one isn't normally treated to in an audiobook.

Though there is plenty of action this is more of a character driven story. And more than anything this is Scott's story.  This is truly an EPIC performance that you don't want to miss!

I was provided a copy of this audiobook by the author through iRead Book Tours in exchange for my review and participation in this tour.

Interview with Lee Stephen:

1. Do you write anything besides science-fiction?

Yes! I’m actually starting a new series that’s totally outside of science-fiction and that I’m very excited about, but I really can’t talk about it yet. I’m also working on a few other projects that fall outside the realm of sci-fi, but they’re mostly conceptual at this point.

2. In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper?

Though I’ve never written any actual novel material on pen and paper, I do prefer pen and paper for my notes.

3. As a new dad writer, how do you balance your time?

My son comes first. If I’m writing and he runs up to me to play, the laptop closes. I can find time to write later!

4. What is the last great book you’ve read?

I’m currently reading George W. Bush’s Decision Points, which is a fascinating read regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum. I read almost exclusively nonfiction. I’m too competitive to enjoy fiction, sadly.

5. What’s the scariest thing that ever happened to you?

Being diagnosed with cancer at age 31. I have mycosis fungoides, a rare form of incurable lymphoma. The good news it’s that it’s a manageable cancer, so it shouldn’t kill me, but it still puts life in perspective. 

Book Details:
Book Title: Dawn of Destiny (Epic #1) by Lee Stephen
Category: Adult Fiction
Genre: Sci-fi
Publisher: Stone Aside Publishing, L.L.C.
Published: November 2006
Available in: Print, ebook (mobi for Kindle and ePub) and audiobook 

Content Rating: PG-13 for violence and depictions of war. There is no profanity, sexual content, or drug use.

Book Description:

Some men go to war for the glory. Some men go to war to escape. For Scott Remington, war is entirely different. It is a belief. It is a calling. It is a destiny. Leaving everything behind—his fiancée, his future, his life—he embarks on a mission of faith into a battle he can barely understand. This is his story. This is his war. This is only the beginning.

Audiobook Description:

The Dawn of Destiny audiobook project is a full adaptation of the first book in the Epic series. It's not your typical “audiobook,” even though technically that's what it is. When people hear “audiobook,” there’s a certain type of thing that usually comes to mind. Most likely it’s the thought of someone reading a book to them, occasionally with music playing in the background. This isn't that.

What you’re going to hear in this project, is more of an audio “experience,” the audio equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie. Over thirty voice actors played a role in this. This is ear-splitting sound effects, bombastic music, and characters shouting back and forth in the middle of a war zone. This is unlike anything you've ever heard.

Publisher: Stone Aside Publishing, L.L.C.

Published: October 2014
Length: 9 hours, 47 mins 

​Meet the Author:

​Born and raised in Cajun country, Lee Stephen spent his childhood paddling pirogues through the marshes of South Louisiana. When he wasn't catching bullfrogs or playing with alligators in the bathtub (both true), he was escaping to the world of the imagination, creating worlds in his mind filled with strange creatures and epic journeys. This hasn't stopped.

Now a resident of Luling, Louisiana, Lee spends time every day delving into the world of Epic, the science-fiction series that has come to define him as a writer and producer. Alongside his wife, Lindsey, their son, Levi, and their dog, Jake, Lee has made it a mission to create a series that is unique in its genre—one unafraid to address the human condition while staying grounded in elements of faith.

In addition to writing, Lee works full-time for the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. He has also spent time as a church deacon, guitar hobbyist, and New Orleans Saints season ticket holder. He is a graduate of Louisiana College in Pineville.

Connect with Lee:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway 

10 prizes for 10 winners: 

3 - poster

3 - $25 Amazon Gift Card

2 - Dawn of Destiny series

2 - Kindle Fire HD

All prizes open to US and Canada only, except $25 gift cards open internationally, 

Ends April 17, 2015. April 17.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Boy Who Loved Rain ~ Review

The Boy Who Loved Rain
By Gerard Kelly

Colom is haunted by a dream.  A dream that keeps coming.  His sister is drowning and he can't save her.  But Colom has never had a sister.  But why can't he clear her from this dreams?

Colom's dreams are slowly breaking his family.  His behavior attributed to normal adolescent swings is becoming destructive.  As he slides deeper into himself his mother determines to save him.

Desperate to save the life of her teenage son Fiona Dryden, makes a decision that she hopes will keep Colom from taking his own life.  Calling on an old friend for assistance, Fiona, with Colom, flees England for a coastal town in France.  Can the peace offered by a town cut off from the rest of the world break down the wall of pain and silence Colom lives behind?

But Colom's pain is one that has been buried by years of lies and secrets.  Can the truth set him free? Or is it too late?  And who is the sister Colom can't save?

The Boy Who Loved Rain is a powerful and moving story that looks into the fabric of a family slowly losing itself to lies and half truths.  Lies given out of love but nonetheless destructive.  This story explores the persistence of memory and how traumatic events can lay dormant eating away at the core of one's being until eventually manifesting in destructive behavior.  But more importantly it is a story of the power of love.

I don't normally read stories quite like this and the few times I have I've come away feeling rather depressed.  The Boy Who Loved Rain didn't leave me with this feeling.  There is hope in this book which was refreshing.  Like the first rain at winter's end, something new can be felt.  The bleakness of winter's end gives way to the new growth of spring.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Lion Hudson, through Kregel's blogging program in exchange for my honest review.

Description:

They say that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. They’re wrong.

Colom had the perfect childhood, the much-loved only child of a church pastor. Yet he wakes screaming from dreams in which his sister is drowning and he can’t save her.

Fiona turns to her husband, desperate to help their son. But David will not acknowledge that help is needed—and certainly not help from beyond the church.

Then they find the suicide pledge.

Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees… but when will she acknowledge that the unnamed demons Colom faces might be of her and David’s own creation?

This beautifully written and searching novel by poet Gerard Kelly explores the toxicity of secrets, the nature of healing, and the ever-present power of rain.

From March 23 - 27, 2015 Kregel is offering 

The Boy Who Loved Rain at a special price of $0.99 

for the Kindle eBook on Amazon.

Believers ~ Review with Excerpt

Believers
The Believers Saga
By Tamara D. Taylor

Mari Messais is a non-medi in a world that has catered to the medis for over 400 years.  After all those who live forever deserve to enjoy all that life has to offer.  But when Mari is unexpected promoted to be Joseph Aramat's assistant she finds herself suddenly in the medi world.

Mari finds herself suddenly in doubt about whom to trust - those in her familiar world or those in her new one.  And when she suddenly finds herself subject to attack she must decide quickly whom to trust.  Is Joseph as safe and trust worthy as he appears?  Or is it an act to get at Mari's most guarded secret - one that could cost her and her family everything?

Believers is a journey of trust and a discovery of love in the midst of betrayal.  If you like your books exciting, with danger increasing towards an explosive climax you will enjoy this offering from Tamara D. Taylor.  This is a world different from our own but one can see what once was.  Belief in God has been outlawed.  The world prospers and rewards the elite while subduing the spirit of the lower classes.  It is this world that Joseph is determined to change, if he can be believed, and he wants Mari to help him.

 I'm hopeful that the very fact that this book says The Believers Saga that there will be additional books forthcoming.

It is important to note that are a few situations that may be slightly offensive to very sensitive readers who don't appreciate language that could fall in the PG category.

I was provided a copy of this book through PUYB in conjunction with this blog tour in exchange for my honest review and tour participation.


About the Author:

Tamara D.Taylor was born and raised in the East Bay of California until she moved to Omaha, Nebraska to attend Creighton University. Today, Tamara still resides in Nebraska where she and her husband, John, are raising their five young children.

A life long lover of all forms of the written word, Tamara is an avid reader, and has been writing short stories and poetry since elementary school. After watching her son struggle with succeeding in school, she decided to finally write the novel she had been thinking about for years in an effort to show her son that no dream is too big to achieve.

Her latest book is the YA Believers: Truth in Deception.

For More Information:
• Connect with Tamara on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about Tamara at Goodreads.

About the Book:

Title: Believers: Truth in Deception
Author: Tamara D. Taylor
Publisher: Tamara D. Taylor
Pages: 330
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Paperback/Kindle

Mari lives in a world of the future where an anti aging drug has torn society
apart, creating an insurmountable divide between the wealthy and the poor.
Her life is thrown sideways after she receives an unsolicited promotion at work, which leaves her as assistant to one of the most notorious playboys of the wealthy elite.

Mari struggles to find solid footing in a world that drastically conflicts with her
humble upbringing. Her moral compass is tested as she finds herself falling in
love with a man she knows she should not trust,  compromising her relationship
with her childhood sweetheart.

After her life is threatened, she fears for her safety and that of her family.
Will she be able to guard her own secrets to prevent even further danger? Will
death be the consequence of falling in love with the wrong man?

“This is a great book. It contains a world that is dark and focused on the
comforts of the select elite and a world of hope and love for those less
fortunate... all coupled with action and anticipation. Great combinations in my
opinion! I can't wait to read the next book!”-- California Mom

For More Information:
• Believers: Truth in Deception is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Book Excerpt:
What would you do if you knew you could live forever? How would you change 
your life? The world? Would you be the one to make it better? I thought the 
cure for aging would be the answer to so many of humanity’s problems. I really 
believed this little pill would help us make the world a better place. 

Yet all I have seen is the further deterioration of generosity, love, compassion 
and freedom. It has not brought out the better side of the human race. It has 
created a darker side where compassion and generosity are rare traits that 
are almost extinct. It has taken me over 400 years to realize that the end of 
aging does not give one freedom. Your body becomes a prison in which you are 
trapped and from which you can’t escape.

It saddens me that the world has entered such a dark time, to the point where 
I no longer want to stay and witness the pain that we, as people, are putting 
ourselves through. 

To many, this will come as a shock. My success has only forced me to put up a 
wall, one that keeps away even those who feel they are my closest friends. I do 
not trust anyone. The friends I have left only appear to be interested in their 
association with me to advance their own political aspirations in life.

I feel that if I can’t offer the peace that eternal life brings to all, then none of 
us should have it. It is not fair of us to choose a select few to live far past an 
age that God has intended. 

I have watched too many good people come in and out of this world, knowing 
that, “in the end,” I could have saved them. However, like many other people, 
I had started believing that I deserved this gift, that it was my right, and that 
if a person was not smart enough or rich enough to buy this gift, then they did 
not deserve to obtain it.

Looking back on my life, I can see that I am the origin of all the world’s 
troubles. As intelligent as I was to invent this amazing drug, I can’t begin to 
imagine that I am brilliant enough to change the course of our planet.

My heart is broken, my soul damaged and weak. My resilience is nothing but 
a shadow left. I cry, for humanity, mother earth and the faith that we have 
lost in God. So the only thing left I can offer is the end. Tonight will be my 
last. I have settled my regrets, sins and all other misgivings with God and 
look forward to joining all of those I have cared for over my 400 years on this 
planet.

He slowly raises the gun and puts it into his mouth. With a quick fluid motion, 
the trigger is pulled.

Lift the Flap Bible ~ Review

Lift the Flap Bible
Text by Karen Williamson
Illustrated by Louise Anglicas

New from Candle Tiny Tots is Lift the Flap Bible for ages 10 months and up. Eight favorite Bible stories are simply shared making this the perfect Bible story book to share with your littlest one.

This book is in a board book format, so as to withstand little hands that have a tendency to stick to pages.  Each of the stories is told on two pages with three to four flaps to help tell the story.

Old Testament offerings are Noah's Ark, baby Moses, Daniel in the Lion's Den, and Jonah.  From the New Testament we have Jesus's birth, Jesus feeding the crowd, the parable of the lost sheep, and Jesus healing the man who was lowered through the roof.

This is nice introduction to the Bible and children will love the flaps that further tell the story. This is perfect for a new baby gift or for a first birthday.

I was provided a copy of this book through Kregel in exchange for my honest review and tour participation.  

About the book:

What's under the flaps? Find out in this collection of eight very simple Bible stories in a large cased board book format. Each story is told across a double-page spread and there are flaps on every page. Bright, quirky illustrations full of wit and color from Louise Anglicas are perfect for this engaging introduction to Bible stories.

Stories are: Noah and the Ark, Moses and the Bulrushes, Daniel and the Lions, Jonah and the Great Fish, Born in a Stable, Boy with Loaves and Fishes, The Lost Sheep, and Man Lowered Through the Roof.

Old Fashioned ~ Review

Old Fashioned
Novelization by Rene Gutteridge
Screenplay by Rik Swartzwelder

Chivalry 

          makes a 

                           comeback

Clay Walsh has made a vow to be a changed man.  He no longer wants to be the man that he was, even if it means isolating himself away.  He wants to treat women with the respect they deserve.  Clay's ideals are the source of ridicule in the town in which he lives.  His theories on love and romance are odd and outdated, but he has been living by them for nine years.  He has yet to meet the woman who understands his views.

But when Amber Hewson arrives in town his theories are about to be tested.  Something about Amber draws him and terrifies him at the same time.  Amber senses something about Clay is different though she's not sure what it is exactly.  But when her apartment needs a repair she learns quickly what about Clay is different - he won't do the needed repair and be alone with her in the apartment.  His "rules" confuse and intrigue her, but how do you get to know another person when you don't know the rules?

This is a book that I highly recommend - the values Clay lives by are in fact ones that I was taught from a young age and men and women who live by these standards are hard to find today.  Pressure to conform to the lax morals of today come from all sides and it is hard to stand for what one believes as evidenced by the ridicule Clay faces (even from friends).

I think my favorite line comes from Betty - "You know, marriage is kind of like a tea bag. You don't know how strong it really is till you get it in some boiling water.  And the water don't boil till you're over the heat, and the heat don't come till you say, 'I do.'"

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Tyndale through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Former frat boy Clay Walsh has given up his reckless lifestyle and settled down to run an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town. Determined to put his partying ways behind him, Clay has become notorious for his lofty and outdated theories on love and romance. But when Amber Hewson, a free-spirited woman with a gypsy soul, rents the apartment above his shop, Clay can’t help being attracted to her spontaneous and passionate embrace of life. 

New to the area, Amber finds herself surprisingly drawn to Clay and his noble ideas, but her own fears and deep wounds are difficult to overcome. Can they move beyond their differences and their pasts to attempt an “old-fashioned” courtship?

The Abbot's Agreement ~ Review

The Abbot's Agreement
The chronicles of
         Hugh de Singleton, surgeon 7
By Mel Starr

It was to be a short trip to Oxford, but alas yet again Hugh's plans have gone awry.  If only he hadn't seen the birds.  But he did see the birds and in the process discovered a body.

This discovery leads the Abbot of Eynshan Abbey to retain Hugh's services in determining who killed the abbey's missing novice.  But there is more to this mystery than Hugh could have possibly imagined.  And this case is fraught with dangers from both within the abbey and without.

With clues leading to several potential suspects, Hugh must ply his skills as both surgeon and bailiff to get to the truth that has been carefully concealed.

But frustration ensues as each lead seemingly falls just short of what Hugh needs to determine the killer's identity. Adding to his anxiety his wife Kate is due to deliver their second child in the very near future.

When the case takes an unexpected turn Hugh finds himself in an uncomfortable position and has few that he can turn to for assistance.

If you like murder mysteries and historical fiction the Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon will keep you guessing as he eliminates suspects and motives.  Take a trip to 14th century England for a who-dun-it that will hold your interest until the final page.

Yet another delightful murder mystery from the pen of Mel Starr!

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher Lion Hudson through the Kregel blogger program in exchange for my honest review and my participation in this tour.

About the book:

A new and disturbing puzzle for the medieval surgeon-turned-sleuth...

Master Hugh de Singleton is making his way toward Oxford when he discovers the corpse of a young Benedictine not half a mile from the nearby abbey.

The abbey's novice master confirms the boy's identity; it is John, one of three novices. He had gone missing four days previous, and yet his corpse is fresh. There has been plague in the area, but this was not the cause of death-the lad has been stabbed in the back. To Hugh's sinking heart, the abbot has a commission for him.

With realistic medical procedures of the period, droll medieval wit, and a consistent underlying sense of Christian compassion, the seventh in the chronicles of Hugh de Singleton will delight medieval history and crime fiction fans alike.

Petticoat Detective ~ Review

Petticoat Detective
Undercover Ladies 1
Margaret Brownley

There are times when only a woman can do a proper investigation. And this is one of those times, though posing as companion is the last thing Jennifer planned on doing.  But when her lead ends up dead Jennifer has no choice but to take on the identity of Amy, a woman living in a house of ill-repute. After all who would suspect a Pinkerton detective of working out of a Bordello.  And Jennifer is determined to capture the notorious Gunnysack Bandit.

But her investigation is about to get a bit more complicated when Tom Colton (a former Texas Ranger) determines to clear his dead brother's name.  And the fact that Tom's brother David and Jennifer's lead Rose had a connection seems to be of importance to this case.

But evidence seems to point to David and nothing Jennifer or Tom discover seems to lead away from this conclusion.  Could they both be wrong?

The setting isn't what one would expect to find in Christian fiction, but this is clean if you have any reservations.  There are several humorous scenes especially when Jennifer decides to set a trap for a suspect.

This is historical fiction with romance and it spotlights how few choices women had when seeking to support themselves at this period of time.

I was provided a copy of this audiobook by the publisher Barbour (Shiloh Run Press) through TBCN/BookFun in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Pinkerton detective Jennifer Layne is no stranger to undercover work. But posing as a lady companion named Amy at Miss Lillian’s Parlor House and Boots is a first for her. She’s finally landed a high-profile case and is on the trail of the notorious Gunnysack Bandit, when one of Miss Lillian’s girls essential to her investigation meets an untimely demise. Only a handful of people are in the house at the time of her death, including handsome Tom Colton, a former Texas Ranger determined to clear his brother’s name. Amy has many reasons to suspect Tom of murder and one very personal reason to hope that she’s wrong about him.