This sounds like a lot of fun! I have a huge pile of review books and am hoping this will help me minimize it. Plus, I love challenges! :)
Here is the link if you want to sign up/see what this is all about: Books, Biscuits & Tea
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Conception by Jennifer Hartz
Series: Future Savior: Book One
Desert Breeze Publishing / 2010
About the book:
Shortly after being sent back I've been attacked by man-eating Vaipes. I've learned that my father was a power wielding Guardian. I've discovered that the silvery-blue eyes intriguing me my entire life belong to my Watcher, Shaw who is without a doubt the most handsome man I have ever seen. And somehow I need to stop a war mongering tyrant who can manipulate people's thoughts.
So my question isn't where or when. It is how? How can I help the people of Meric when I can't stop myself from falling in love?
My rating:
My thoughts:
Christina Vaughn's 30th birthday starts out normal enough (with her teaching the students in her class), but soon she finds herself somewhere bizarre - the Land of Meric.
With giants, unicorns, elves, and more, Meric is anything but ordinary and Christina is about to start a very interesting journey.
"Conception" was a great fantasy/speculative fiction novel! I enjoyed reading it almost right away and it definitely held my attention throughout.
The characters were great and I especially liked Shaw, Matthias (he was very funny) and Jonus (I wasn't sure what to think about him at first, but ended up really liking his character).
There were a few things I didn't like - mostly just words used (i.e. savior, messiah, etc.) and when "my G**" was said a couple of times - it didn't seem like the characters were talking to or about God, but just saying His Name.
That said, the story was great to read and I found it very interesting/enjoyable. If you enjoy reading fantasy/speculative fiction novels (with some romance), then I think you will enjoy "Conception". The ending leaves me really wanting to read "Resurrection" (book two in the "Future Savior" series).
*I won a Kindle copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review, but I was asked if I would. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Ashley! Will you tell us a
little about yourself?
I’m a
twenty-year-old English major currently attending college in southern
California. Writing has been such a large part of my life for as long as I can
remember, and my parents and three sisters have always been my support team in
this area. I am very adventurous and curious about everything—the world
fascinates me, and I love exploring and writing about the things in it.
What is Rising
Shadows about?
It’s about a
modern day young woman, Sarah, who gets transported back in time to the twelfth
century. Her untimely appearance thrusts her into the middle of a false witch
hunt in a kingdom shrouded with mystery and deception. When the only person who
can help her return home is thrown in prison and sentenced to death, Sarah
enlists the assistance of the Shadow—the hooded town hero whose identity
remains a secret—to help her save her friend and uncover an assassination plot
against the king. There’s a little romance between Sarah and the Shadow, which
causes some internal conflict for her when she also becomes drawn to Will, a
handsome and enigmatic blacksmith in town. When Sarah and Will interfere with
the assassin’s plans, they find themselves trapped in the middle of a
conspiracy where they become the targets in a series of disasters.
What is something
the average reader wouldn't know about you?
They may have
already guessed from my writing, but I am very sarcastic and a practical joker.
I also have no qualms about making a fool of myself in public; I will do just
about anything to get someone to laugh or smile.
When did you first
realize you wanted to be a writer?
I have always
loved books and writing, but when I turned eight, something just clicked with
me and my pen. It became more to me than just entertainment, and I knew then
that writing was what I wanted to do with my future. The relationship I had
with the characters on another author’s pages was magical, and I wanted to
provide that same connection for other readers someday.
How many books have
you written/published and do you have a favorite?
I wish I had a
little more experience under my belt in the publishing area, but currently Rising Shadows is my first released
book. I have written a few novels, though, that I would love to have published
in the future, and I’m also working on the second and third books in The Shadow trilogy. This series is
probably closest to my heart because I grew up with the stories and characters,
and it’s pretty incredible that I get to share all that with my readers!
What would you say
is your most interesting writing quirk?
I always have to
have music playing when I write, but at a very specific volume. Too loud and it
distracts me, overly quiet and I strain to hear the music and lose my focus,
but just right and I get inspired. I also can’t stand outlines. I’ve had to
work with a few notes for the second book, but that’s as close as I can come to
structured writing. Creating an outline makes me feel like I’m back in school,
and creative writing is something that I like to just have fun with.
Where do you like
to write?
I usually type
in the office in a swivel chair, because goodness knows I can’t sit still for
very long! But I used to have a laptop that I would use in my room, and that
was my favorite place to write; it was so nice to stay up all hours of the
night banging away at the keyboard, all comfy in my bed, until the creative
well ran dry.
What do you like to
do when you're not writing?
I love reading
as much as I do writing. They’re both a way for me to escape and experience
adventures and places I’ve always dreamed about. There’s this quote by Mason
Cooley: “Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” I
have a bookmark with this on it, and I smile every time I use it because it’s
so true. I adore music, too, and I love playing my guitar and listening to
music.
Is there a place
you’d like to visit, but haven’t yet?
Ireland. It’s my
dream vacation destination, and I would love to spend the summer there visiting
old castles and exploring the incredible landscape. I always had this fantasy
of spending the duration of my writing career in a cozy cottage set in the
green hills of Ireland beside a rocky stream. The landscape just seems
enchanting to me.
Do you have a
favorite song and/or movie?
I usually have a
list of ten or twenty songs each month that I will listen to until they’re
dead; I don’t think I could ever pick a single favorite song because it changes
with my mood, though I have a playlist for Rising
Shadows on my site that I’ve listened to over and over. I have about two
favorite movies in each genre, but my favorite childhood movie was Disney’s Robin Hood (didn’t see that coming, did
you?). Apparently, my love of animals and my hero complex started at a young
age.
What is your
favorite dessert?
Ooooh. I love
homemade apple pie with crumble topping. I could literally eat an entire pie by
myself. I also love chocolate chip cookies and any kind of cookie dough. Pretty
much anything with dark chocolate is okay by me, too.
Do you have a
favorite Bible verse?
All of Psalm 91.
I recite the whole chapter over and over in my head at night. I also really
love the promises in Acts 2:25-28 and Isaiah 40:31.
Here are a few
this-or-that questions:
Snowstorms or
Thunderstorms?
This one’s
tough. I’m one of those odd people who actually enjoys getting caught outside
in the rain, and the smell is just divine in my opinion. But I grew up with
snowstorms in Colorado Springs and love how everything is so beautiful and
perfectly quiet when it settles—there truly isn’t anything like that calm after the storm. It’s a lot of work to
shovel after a snowstorm, but it’s an absolute blast to play in.
Tea or Coffee?
I enjoy tea
because there are a lot of good memories attached to it, like tea parties with
my grandma and cousins when we would visit each summer. But if there’s a choice
between tea or coffee, I will probably reach for the jitter-juice.
Print or eBook?
Early-bird or
Night-owl?
I’m not overly
fond of mornings, even with a gallon of coffee in my system, so I would say
more night-owlish, though I’m really more of a two o’clock in the afternoon
kind of gal. It’s safer for everyone if I don’t get up early, and the fact that
I have the disposition of an eighty-year-old man makes me steer clear of events
that start at ten p.m.
Cats or Dogs?
Dogs, definitely.
Kittens and cats that are friendly are really cute, but I grew up with dogs and
adore the two that we have. I like the fact that they enjoy their owner’s company; I don’t want to have to work for my
animal’s affection after a long day.
Are you currently
working on any new novels? If so, could you give us a hint?
Currently, I’m
working on the next two books in The
Shadow trilogy, and my sister recently inspired me to create an entirely
new character in the trilogy that I think readers will really enjoy. I’m also
jotting down some scenes and ideas for this one novel that I’ve had in my head
for years. It’s set in the first century and is about a commander in the Roman
army and the unexpected relationship he develops with a woman he rescues in
battle, though the fact that she was fighting on the enemy side causes things
to become complicated between them and her former master.
Thanks so much for
being here! Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers and where can we
find you on the web? Thank you for having me! I can’t tell you enough how exciting this entire
experience is for me, and I am ecstatic to be able to share my love of
storytelling with my readers. Rising
Shadows has been so much fun to write, and I hope you all really enjoy it
and will stay tuned for my upcoming novels. You can follow me on my website, www.ashley-townsend.com, and
also on my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ashleytownsend.author. I love hearing about your experiences
with the book and why you were drawn to certain characters, so comment on my
pages or send me an email; I always write back.
Giveaway!
Enter to win an eBook copy of Ashley's book, Rising Shadows!! Open Internationally!
Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, July 2, 2012
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years,
earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after
one hurricane too many he left for South Dakota. Mark has been arrested
for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served
on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an
honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The stakes have never been higher for
Detective Roland March.
The victim's head is missing, but what intrigues Detective Roland March
is the hand. The pointing finger must be a clue--but to what? According
to the FBI, the dead man was an undercover asset tracking the flow of
illegal arms to the Mexican cartels. To protect the operation, they want
March to play along with the cover story. With a little digging, though, he
discovers the Feds are lying. And they're not the only ones.
In an upside-down world of paranoia and conspiracy, March finds himself
dogged by injury and haunted by a tragic failure. Forced to take justice into
his own hands, his twisting investigation leads him into the very heart of
darkness, leaving March with nothing to lose--and nothing to hide.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Nothing to Hide, go HERE.
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