India ~ Review with Giveaway and Trailer

India
By Debra Schoenberger

India the very name brings images to mind and this book will bring to the reader images that don't have to be imagined. All too often one thinks of the exotic, a land of spices, a land of adventure. But the truth of this land is presented here thanks to the photographic talents of Debra Schoenberger.

"India is, quite simply unforgettable, a land of contrasts," this statement taken from one of the very few textual portions of this book sums up this book perfectly.  India has vast grandeurs of architectural wonders and the close crowded streets that can be found in any area with a large population within the confines of a city.

A book with more than one hundred pictures definitely tells a story that couldn't be portrayed with only words. Prepare for a visual journey that is rich in the depth that its very subject matter is presented. See the everyday life of India and study at leisure this world that one might never have the chance to explore in person.

I like the glimpses that the author shares. Other books that, I have, in the past, examined show only the tourist attractions around this land. I appreciate the effort the author went to in sharing the India she has grown to love. The pictorial nature of this book makes it perfect for any age reader regardless of reading skills. Take a day to explore this land and share the experience with those whom you'd like to take the journey with.

I was provided a digital review copy of this book by the author with no expectations of a positive review ~ all expressed opinions are my own.

Book Description:

I have always been fascinated by the sheer beauty and diversity in Indian culture. "Sensory overload in a glance" is an apt description of a country that is always in movement. To be able to stand still in the middle of all that movement allows me to really "see" her people and absorb the flow of life from birth to death.

From learning how to make yellow ink from cow urine to watching funeral pyres burn in Varanasi, I realized that I would have to spend a lifetime here to grasp the immense value of her art, stunning architecture, fascinating food, and love of all that is beautiful.

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Author's Bio:

Debra Schoenberger aka #girlwithcamera

"My dad always carried a camera under the seat of his car and was constantly taking pictures. I think that his example, together with pouring over National Geographic magazines as a child fuelled my curiosity for the world around me.

I am a documentary photographer and street photography is my passion. Some of my images have been chosen by National Geographic as editor's favourites and are on display in the National Geographic museum in Washington, DC.  I also have an off-kilter sense of humour so I'm always looking for the unusual.

​Connect with the author:    Website ~  Facebook ​~ Instagram ~  Pinterest

Book Trailer:

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Courting Carrie in Wonderland ~ Review

Courting Carrie in Wonderland
By Carla Kelly

Sergeant Major Ramsey Stiles was finally back in Yellowstone after serving in the Philippines in the Philippine-American War, (a war, I might mention, I don't recall ever being mentioned in any of my history classes and I still have the books).  The peace and magic of America's Wonderland just what he needed to heal from the horrors he experienced. The only problem, his new job comes with a lot more paperwork as he works to keep everything working together for the tourists, the army, and the animals.

Carrie McKay loves her job working with the Wylie Camping Company but, due to an incident in her past, her experiences are not the most pleasant thanks to a lying tongue that seeks to keep her from succeeding.

When Carrie finds herself in need of a little help Ramsey just happens to be nearby and this chance meeting is about to change both their lives in ways that neither would have ever anticipated or expected. 

This story is more than a romance that takes place in the setting of the Yellowstone, one gets an education about Yellowstone in the earlier years. One also gets a look at the lack of appreciation those with power have in regards to the need for nature to balance itself. One is transported to this land that was known as Wonderland.

This historical romance is a lesson that you'll not mind learning and you'll want to revisit again and share with like-minded reading friends.  There is a lot of story packed into this nearly 400 paged book. Fans of Carla Kelly will enjoy this newest work.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All expressed opinions are my own.

About the book: 

Struggling through college and balancing her summer job with the Wylie Camping Company, Carrie simply doesn’t have time to consider romance. War Veteran Sergeant Ned Ramsey isn’t looking for love either, busy with his own complicated affairs. But as the magic of Yellowstone starts making its way into their hearts, both begin to see love move up their priority list.



About the author: 

Carla Kelly is a veteran of the New York and international publishing world. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine Co., Signet, and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two Rita Awards (think Oscars for romance writing) from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards (think Oscars for western fiction) from Western Writers of America. She is also a recipient of a Whitney Award for “Borrowed Light,” “My Loving Vigil Keeping,” and “Softly Falling.”

My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss, Texas ~ Review

My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss, Texas
Priscilla's Reveille 
By Erica Vetsch

When Priscilla Hutchens receives word that her brother and his wife have died, she hurries to the rugged and dangerous army post they called home. She's determined to save the young niece and nephew she's never met from the horrors of army life.

To Priscilla's dismay, she can't just whisk the children away to her home in Cincinnati. Culture and refinement are put on hold by the arrogant post surgeon Major Elliot Ryder who shockingly lays claim to the very children she wishes to rescue. He's the uncle she never knew the children had thanks to the estrangement that had divided her family with her brother's enlistment.

Elliot sees no reason for Priscilla to take Tessa and Timothy from the life they've known and he is determined to keep his promise to his sister regarding her children. Unfortunately, Priscilla is as determined as he is when it comes to the children, but he has a history with the children, unlike Priscilla.

Can these two come to an understanding that allows Tessa and Timothy to have what their hearts most desire ~ a family? Or will someone win this battle of wills making sure everyone loses in the end?

This is a sweet book that will leave the reader feeling satisfied when the last page is turned. If you are looking for a gentle, clean read you've found it hidden among the stark openness of Fort Bliss, Texas. Fans of historical romance fiction will enjoy this book that is set in 1874. And there is no need to worry you won't be blushing as you read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions expressed here are my own.


About the Book:

A custody battle brings

two stubborn individuals together

at a remote Texas fort ... 

Fashion artist Priscilla Hutchens has a grudge against the army that has ruined her family and taken the people she holds most dear.  When her twin niece and nephew are left orphaned at Fort Bliss, Texas, she swoops down on Fort Bliss to gain custody of them immediately.  

There is just one thing standing in the way—Post surgeon Major Elliot Ryder, who also has a claim to the children. Priscilla and Elliot will cross swords, but each will have to lay down arms if they are to find a lasting peace on which to form the family both are longing for. 

 Who will win the battle? Or will a truce be called for the sake of love and family?

Journey now to Fort Bliss in West Texas of 1874, where a battle is about to be waged between hearts.

For Love and Honor ~ Review

For Love and Honor
By Jody Hedlund

Sir Bennett has returned home after a plea from his mother, Lady Windsor, - the family is teetering on the edge of ruin brought about by the foolish grief filled actions of his older brother. Determined to do his duty by his family Sir Bennett reluctantly agrees to his mother's plan, even if it costs him the desire of his heart - a marriage based on love.

Lady Sabine has no desire to marry, knowing that the secret she carries could cost her her life. Her only desire is to add to her collection of rare treasures of art, jewels, and books. Knowledge is her passion and one her wealth allows her to feed. But her grandmother, Lady Sherborne, is determined that her only grandchild, not spend the entirety of her life alone and the dire straights the Windsor family finds themselves in could work in Sabine's favor.

But with both Sir Bennett and Lady Sabine both keeping secrets from the other as to the purpose of their meeting could love ever be a possibility? Only time will tell and time is the one thing that Sir Bennett does not have.

Those who read the previous two books in this series An Uncertain Choice and A Daring Sacrifice will enjoy Sir Bennett's story. And as the road, to love is never easy he may have to depend on his friends Collin and Derrick as well as his mentor the Duke of Rivenshire to help when matters take a potentially dangerous turn.

This book can be read as a stand-alone if you haven't read the previous two. This book, like the previous two, is appropriate for tweens and teens who like clean reads. And the cover is delightful and suits the book perfectly.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:
Lady Sabine is harboring a skin blemish, one, that if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger, and damage her chances of making a good marriage. After all, what nobleman would want to marry a woman so flawed?

Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from an imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman. As a man of honor, he loathes the idea of courting a woman for her money, but with time running out for his family’s safety, what other choice does he have?

As Lady Sabine and Sir Bennet are thrust together under dangerous circumstances, will they both be able to learn to trust each other enough to share their deepest secrets? Or will those secrets ultimately lead to their demise?

Lights Out ~ Review

Lights Out
By Ted Koppel

A Cyberattack

A Nation Unprepared

Surviving the Aftermath

We're a nation unprepared having mixed old and new together while allowing an entire industry to set their own suggested guidances. But in the world we now find ourselves living in this could very well be the weak link that could topple us.  What is this weak link you ask ~ the antiquated power system that powers everything in our day-to-day world.

The destructive power of nature is to be expected to exert its strengths upon occasion. Shutting down the power grid in a small contained area. What we don't anticipate and have no plan of recovery for is a cyberattack upon our power system. But just such an attack is not just the imaginings of fiction writers but a viable threat that could conceivably halt all modern life in a large and unpredictable swath of the nation. A threat that could silently strike with no clue as to who instigated the attack.

With our current dependence on electricity to power everything from our toothbrush to the latest automotive hybrid we would be in a word trapped. Water and food would quickly become scarce due to spoilage and panic demand. Communication would be almost impossible. 

But though there is no national plan in place if such an attack would take place there are models that each community - each neighborhood - can follow should such an event take place. The first is to practice the art of neighborliness, a willingness to pool what we have and share it amongst those around us. We should follow the philosophy of when experiencing a year of plenty to set aside a portion for a year of need. Preparation is always a prudent plan and as this book points out it is up to individuals and communities to do the groundwork necessary to survive the first few days and weeks.

Lights Out should not frighten the reader into hiding terrified of when and where disaster will hit, but rather allow the reader to think about what is exposed and plan accordingly for their living situation. This book also provides some interesting insights on how we could improve our current electrical situation so that repairs could be more easily accomplished such as having similar transformer parts that can easily be switched out anywhere in the nation (as opposed to state or region specific parts).

This is an insightful book that provides a lot of food for thought. And it is one that I recommend reading just so one is aware of what is and what isn't. This is not a book to be frightened away from because in this case ignorance is not bliss but rather an enemy.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher through Blogging for Books with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:

In this New York Times bestselling investigation, Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyber-attack on America’s power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared.
 
Imagine a blackout lasting not days, but weeks or months. Tens of millions of people over several states are affected. For those without access to a generator, there is no running water, no sewage, no refrigeration or light. Food and medical supplies are dwindling. Devices we rely on have gone dark. Banks no longer function, looting is widespread, and law and order are being tested as never before.  

It isn’t just a scenario. A well-designed attack on just one of the nation’s three electric power grids could cripple much of our infrastructure—and in the age of cyberwarfare, a laptop has become the only necessary weapon. Several nations hostile to the United States could launch such an assault at any time. In fact, as a former chief scientist of the NSA reveals, China and Russia have already penetrated the grid. And a cybersecurity advisor to President Obama believes that independent actors—from “hacktivists” to terrorists—have the capability as well. “It’s not a question of if,” says Centcom Commander General Lloyd Austin, “it’s a question of when.”  

And yet, as Koppel makes clear, the federal government, while well prepared for natural disasters, has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid.  The current Secretary of Homeland Security suggests keeping a battery-powered radio.

In the absence of a government plan, some individuals and communities have taken matters into their own hands. Among the nation’s estimated three million “preppers,” we meet one whose doomsday retreat includes a newly excavated three-acre lake, stocked with fish, and a Wyoming homesteader so self-sufficient that he crafted the thousands of adobe bricks in his house by hand. We also see the unrivaled disaster preparedness of the Mormon church, with its enormous storehouses, high-tech dairies, orchards, and proprietary trucking company – the fruits of a long tradition of anticipating the worst. But how, Koppel asks, will ordinary civilians survive?

With urgency and authority, one of our most renowned journalists examines a threat unique to our time and evaluates potential ways to prepare for a catastrophe that is all but inevitable.

Unfolding ~ Review

Unfolding 
By Jonathan Friesen

What she foresees

could tear them apart...

Stormi was a miracle baby delivered to the town of Gullary, Oklahoma, on the winds of a tornado. Though taken in as one of their own Gullary has never truly accepted her as one of their own. And Stormi's gift of insight (intuition) has allowed her to give warnings earning her the tag unnatural.

Jonah has counted Stormi as his best friend his whole life and he wishes that she would see him as something more. But how could she when he is a monster - his back twisted his brain a host for seizers - and Stormi is perfect.

But Gullary is keeping a secret one that has been in the keeping for nigh on 18 years. And the time to pay the price for their sins is coming...  And Stormi alone sees the signs unfolding around her, she alone can prevent the tragedy that may be revisited upon Gullary, but she can't do it alone.

Unfolding is a book that grabs the reader's attention and won't let go. There are some totally unexpected twists that one did not anticipate. I have to say Gullary is not a town I'd recommend visiting and the SuperMax Prison hides the biggest secret of all. This book has the same feel as an old Alfred Hitchcock movie very creepy - not a before bed reading choice unless you plan to read through the night.

I  was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher through BookLook in exchange for my honest review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Jonah wishes he could get the girl, but he’s an outcast and she’s the most perfect girl he knows. And their futures seemed destined to fork apart: Jonah’s physical condition is debilitating, and epileptic seizures fill his life with frustration. Whereas Stormi is seemingly carefree, and navigates life by sensing things before they happen. And her most recent premonition is urging her to leave town.

When Stormi begs Jonah for help, he finds himself swept into a dark mystery his small town has been keeping for years. And the answers Stormi needs about her own past could possibly destroy everything Jonah has ever known—including his growing relationship with Stormi herself.  

The Dating Experiment ~ Review

The Dating Experiment
By Elodia Strain

If you are looking for a fun read this may be what you are looking for. If you believe in the truth of Murphy's Law well Gabby Malone thinks that her life is proof in favor of its existence.  She's lost her dream job really through no real fault of her own. Then she gets dumped by her boyfriend, again.

And thanks to her friend Paige she just might have a chance to make a little extra money in addition to her temp job. After all, with her recording with dating, there is no chance that she'd be picked for the dating study. But to Gabby's surprise her answers somehow have moved her on in the study and she is about to have five weeks worth of Friday and Saturday dating.  Unfortunately, something goes wrong and Gabby may have her recent ex-boyfriend as one of her potential dates - so not good.

With help from her friends, her Aunt Kit, and her secret childhood crush Ian she just may live through the experiment. But will she lose her heart yet again to Ian O'Connell, who just happens to be engaged? Life is never easy but along the way, Gabby makes some new friends who will change her life in ways she never expected.

This is the perfect book to lift your mood if you're in need of a good laugh or two. It's clean reading that won't make you blush. And Gabby's ex-boyfriend is just too much - it is surprising that she had to wait for him to dump her again. Looking for a beach read or a long weekend unwind check out The Dating Experiment.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review ~ All expressed opinions are my own.


About the Book:

I am not the girl who things work out for.

I'm the girl whose Schwinn gets sideswiped

by the SUV being driven by the girl

who things work out for.

After losing her job, her house, and her guy, the last thing Gabby wants to do is be in a dating experiment—especially with her ex. Her only chance of making it through is with help from her best friend, Ian. But as the study and all its hilariously awkward dates goes on, Gabby finds herself wondering what exactly this experiment is all about. Can science lead her to her perfect match? Or will she have to find him all on her own?