tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19221549756140099442024-03-14T02:33:44.020-07:00Welcome to The Realm of HeartsR.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.comBlogger461125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-32352617626496475792018-08-12T20:36:00.002-07:002018-08-12T20:37:29.699-07:00A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette ( Book One of Cities of Refuge)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfbfhkMnPJWYU4V9t3t_XcdY4FpTL_La_LUQJjPyJgbmdo_qXeCQo5U-NDEmpUYaZZ9_aKZiSuArn_XyjHSEq-nNiFYfXePOWHiYcM1nWX4z_rJEZErX-E_D-tVyYfgOeKbSdE00OJjc/s1600/ccbook2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #333333; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="321" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTfbfhkMnPJWYU4V9t3t_XcdY4FpTL_La_LUQJjPyJgbmdo_qXeCQo5U-NDEmpUYaZZ9_aKZiSuArn_XyjHSEq-nNiFYfXePOWHiYcM1nWX4z_rJEZErX-E_D-tVyYfgOeKbSdE00OJjc/s400/ccbook2.jpg" width="255" /></a><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there. They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #6fa8dc;">Joshua 20:1-3</span></span></span></div>
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Seven years ago, Moriyah was taken captive in Jericho and branded with the mark of the Canaanite gods. Now the Israelites are experiencing peace in their new land, but Moriyah has yet to find her own peace. Because of the shameful mark on her face, she hides behind her veil at all times and the disdain of the townspeople keeps her from socializing. And marriage prospects were out of the question . . . until now.<br />
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Her father has found someone to marry her, and she hopes to use her love of cooking to impress the man and his motherless sons. But when things go horribly wrong, Moriyah is forced to flee. Seeking safety at one of the newly-established Levitical cities of refuge, she is wildly unprepared for the dangers she will face, and the enemies--and unexpected allies--she will encounter on her way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3ebVIqNcJor52WDtAXb-plKIDpPFNG5Qf3fcxVU8ouqEwB52EQ5E_1Oz-05Y95-4s_sX5UkEzJTe76xy-CNE6h3teYpSUjr7sAKJDD5hkG4y6kP6dT4l_z3U5Zdsr70yu7XHjK70IyM/s1600/download+%25282%2529c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3ebVIqNcJor52WDtAXb-plKIDpPFNG5Qf3fcxVU8ouqEwB52EQ5E_1Oz-05Y95-4s_sX5UkEzJTe76xy-CNE6h3teYpSUjr7sAKJDD5hkG4y6kP6dT4l_z3U5Zdsr70yu7XHjK70IyM/s200/download+%25282%2529c.jpg" width="160" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: 14px;"><b>About the author</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">When she is not homeschooling her two sweet kids (with a full pot of coffee at hand), Connilyn Cossette is scribbling notes on spare paper, mumbling about her imaginary friends, and reading obscure, out-of-print history books. Although a Pacific Northwest native, she now lives in a little town near Dallas, Texas. She can be found online at www.connilyncossette.com.</span></span></span> <br />
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<b><br /></b><b>My Review</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5i4ppeTofirplERMHACnQjSUmUaITmtQEQNb_2EQa4yBRTtOs8x3OLXL8ZiCv_cfiQ7SRjORNr5nVyzBdkpZkLRKKrMCtaXoo9owxWDI3GZ7RcQh-LU0ZJN61gmh9KPdc85Cx1pjk87Q/s1600/ccbook3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5i4ppeTofirplERMHACnQjSUmUaITmtQEQNb_2EQa4yBRTtOs8x3OLXL8ZiCv_cfiQ7SRjORNr5nVyzBdkpZkLRKKrMCtaXoo9owxWDI3GZ7RcQh-LU0ZJN61gmh9KPdc85Cx1pjk87Q/s320/ccbook3.jpg" width="213" /></a>Connilyn Cossette truly doesn't disappoint. A Light on the Hill is book one of her new series, Cities of Refuge and follows right behind her other series, Out From Egypt. Her first two books are still my favorite from her and I highly recommend reading them first, yet I think you can start this series without reading her first series.<br />
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It’s fun to read about the Feast, shofars, and tzitzits and have a deep understanding of what they mean/are. I personally celebrate all the Feast, wear tzitzits and hear the shofar blown every Sabbath from my dad. Connilyn has done a beautiful job at showing some of the beauty of our Abba’s ways, with Hebrew names, biblical calendar dates, just to name a few that will perhaps get you curious to dig a little deeper in your faith with things you might not be familiar with. I have heard of a few readers purchase shofars after reading her books… how fun is that!<br />
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Her writing is for sure geared towards women and older teens and always holds a sweet romantic tale. It's refreshing to see writing with historical biblical elements, real female characters, and how our Abba has always loved us.<br />
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I highly recommend A Light on the Hill, and look forward to book two, Shelter of the Most High.<br />
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You can purchase, A Light on the Hill at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Light-Hill-Cities-Refuge/dp/0764219863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534110998&sr=8-1&keywords=a+light+on+the+hill+by+connilyn+cossette&dpID=51HnwKpTX-L&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #e69138;">Amazon</span></b></a></div>
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You can learn more about Connilyn and her books at her website</div>
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<a href="http://www.connilyncossette.com/"><b><span style="color: #e69138;">www.connilyncossette.com</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinh6CXFzmZpB1f3873CrdZvSx5KP99eEtRBh7sS1pUsNv9wQwZXz-4hck8xBqB66TOpVuimAmauuXShEWkB-MStFxtH056xLihEeF_5M2FyArrLbj1OzoOa-ZFIvQi6NyVHpI-oVGb6S0/s1600/ccbook5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1200" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinh6CXFzmZpB1f3873CrdZvSx5KP99eEtRBh7sS1pUsNv9wQwZXz-4hck8xBqB66TOpVuimAmauuXShEWkB-MStFxtH056xLihEeF_5M2FyArrLbj1OzoOa-ZFIvQi6NyVHpI-oVGb6S0/s400/ccbook5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-63374916192512315612016-11-08T21:23:00.000-08:002016-11-08T21:49:20.007-08:00Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette (Book Two: Out From Egypt)<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1fmw7tQ8Lq-COIdwD2cM3kwk-0YUZ6X_mwVXwpYoNOnFewrrvI8Z2Nxg9UvW8JtG8fQEia2QnSYAliSFPh5yaAgt3MyXCqzdX_9vaJb3GbrcN2SkhqMRK-rYlF_EMSUr6ONGeTnVMTs/s1600/shadowstorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1fmw7tQ8Lq-COIdwD2cM3kwk-0YUZ6X_mwVXwpYoNOnFewrrvI8Z2Nxg9UvW8JtG8fQEia2QnSYAliSFPh5yaAgt3MyXCqzdX_9vaJb3GbrcN2SkhqMRK-rYlF_EMSUr6ONGeTnVMTs/s400/shadowstorm.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
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"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High</div>
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will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.</div>
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I will say to the LORD,</div>
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“My refuge and my fortress, my God,</div>
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in whom I trust...</div>
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He will cover you with his pinions, </div>
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and under his wings you will find refuge..."</div>
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Psalm 91:1-2,4</div>
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Having escaped Egypt with the other Hebrews during the Exodus, Shira is now living in freedom at the foot of Mt. Sinai, upon which rests the fiery glowing Cloud containing the shekinah glory of God. <br />
When the people disobey Yahweh and build a golden idol, the ensuing chaos gives Shira an unexpected opportunity to learn the arts of midwifery. Although her mother wishes for her to continue in the family weaving trade, Shira's gifts shine brightest when she assists with deliveries. In defiance of her mother, Shira pursues her heart's calling to become an apprentice midwife.<br />
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When a delivery goes horribly wrong, Shira finds herself bound to a man who betrayed her, the caretaker of three young children, and the target of a vengeful woman whose husband was killed by Shira's people, the Levites. As contention between the Hebrew tribes and the foreigners fans the flames of another dangerous rebellion, Shira will come face-to-face with the heartbreak of her past that she has kept hidden for so long. How can she let go of all that has defined her to accept the love she's denied herself and embrace who she truly is?</div>
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<b>My Review</b><br />
I was blessed again to be able to be an advanced reader for book two of the
beautiful, “Out From Egypt” series by Connilyn Cossette<br />
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I could NOT put this book down! And I’m truly sad to have it end. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4UMh7kGSiMUIPwZCTYAX2XOgy4l0j7gQk-zQRvRaIWL1qA2ulREk1k0M9Two3F2EFSUTec0i39wlYsIktGwzK_gAkKq5bi8_QLzKxAmjoW96xXljzoEYgWEcqKcFqXX0ANRYhgMx55U/s1600/ss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR4UMh7kGSiMUIPwZCTYAX2XOgy4l0j7gQk-zQRvRaIWL1qA2ulREk1k0M9Two3F2EFSUTec0i39wlYsIktGwzK_gAkKq5bi8_QLzKxAmjoW96xXljzoEYgWEcqKcFqXX0ANRYhgMx55U/s320/ss.jpg" width="219" /></a>I highly recommend this tale but be sure to read book one first, for Connilyn
brilliantly tied in some great things from it. Connilyn Cossette has truly put a lot of hard
work and heart into this beautiful series. I felt like Shira was a friend and
I’m sad to see her story end, I really liked her and she will go down as one of
my all-time favorite characters. It was extra special to read this book during
the Feast of Tabernacles. This book had a LOT of great twist and turns… one
reason I have a hard time writing a more detailed review… I’m afraid of giving
away her great story. I’ll be sure to never pass up a book from Connilyn and
I hope she writes many more beautiful stories.<br />
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As you can see, I LOVED this book and honestly have nothing ill to say about
it, besides that I have to wait for book three. :( <br />
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I would recommend this beautiful tale to mature readers due
to some topics that would not be appropriate for younger readers, so I give it a
15+ rating ( it has a few graphic scenes of sorrow like miscarriages and has a
few heavy topics of past hurts such as rape like book one did. That kinda makes
it sound like a really bad read, but I promise you it is FAR from it. It is
cleanly done… not detailed, just enough to know what happened. It is indeed
Christian, just not for kids. It is a really good book for women who have gone
through these kind of hurts.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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You can purchase Shadow of the Storm at <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Storm-Egypt-Connilyn-Cossette/dp/0764218212/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478668738&sr=8-1&keywords=shadow+of+the+storm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e69138;">Amazon</span></a></b></div>
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You can learn more about Connilyn and her books at her website</div>
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<a href="http://www.connilyncossette.com/"><b><span style="color: #e69138;">www.connilyncossette.com</span></b></a></div>
R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-84945166351453474842016-07-16T20:35:00.002-07:002016-07-22T20:30:39.840-07:00Anamatus by Derrick Tribble: Book Review...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAk8NuNx_9k8NB4hZzpWgE3G847pCBHZX9wuHuLNpoSFGDIKFV5Jhk94bzYUBsPPsIRzV0Ech5kaA2hHHLkCHaPPLR9EsJc6CM0Dw4PtfH9mVhbzSdAYMOaOo7NMHkJjaKFvJnaiMZBU/s1600/anamatus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAk8NuNx_9k8NB4hZzpWgE3G847pCBHZX9wuHuLNpoSFGDIKFV5Jhk94bzYUBsPPsIRzV0Ech5kaA2hHHLkCHaPPLR9EsJc6CM0Dw4PtfH9mVhbzSdAYMOaOo7NMHkJjaKFvJnaiMZBU/s400/anamatus.jpg" width="266" /></a><b>Author: Derrick Tribble</b><br />
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<b>Book: Anamatus<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Genre: Science-fiction/fantasy/Young Adult/Christian</b><br />
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<b>Pages: 433<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Age range: 15 and up<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>A few mature themes such as mentions of alcohol, sexual sin,
and a teen pregnancy. Also a few death scenes. </b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a world of extraordinary talents, she uses hers to create a monster. On Biersheva, a colony world populated by God’s people, extraordinary talents have emerged. Everyone has something they excel at, but a few are blessed with “noble talents,” supernatural abilities intended for helping others and glorifying God. Karina has one of these noble talents -- she can shape animals out of organic matter and animate them, giving them will and purpose. But pride and fear prompt her to reach beyond her God-given talent and animate a bronze statue. Her sin unleashes a monster, and she must put it to death before it destroys everything she loves.</span></div>
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<b>About the author:</b><br />
Derrick Tribble, also known as “That Author Guy,” lives in the foothills of California, where the air is clear and fresh, and the trees are big. Derrick is the author of the Wanderers in Time trilogy, a Young-Adult Christian Science Fiction series which begins with Servants & Thieves. He shares his home with his wife and two children, and two strange cats. When not writing, he can occasionally be found working or playing the drums.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsI7CVy9HZI03LkhN8jFWUU9X248O_f0aIAXOB4JMfvL-5w3S9yWWFQcZAf_caCOFjwQLO9l_rST9AKkYz4xPmEJ17L4rPjr4YVUb28YmWwzxYRXp3r_PKDNTxnn3R6UTjQ8jQuWwS64/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsI7CVy9HZI03LkhN8jFWUU9X248O_f0aIAXOB4JMfvL-5w3S9yWWFQcZAf_caCOFjwQLO9l_rST9AKkYz4xPmEJ17L4rPjr4YVUb28YmWwzxYRXp3r_PKDNTxnn3R6UTjQ8jQuWwS64/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>My Review</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I enjoyed Derrick Tribble's, Wanderers in Time series and was honored to be a pre-reader for his newest tale, Anamatus.<br />
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The message in this tale showed the ugliness of sin, our selfish desires and the consequences of
what could happen when we go against God’s purpose for our lives. In one way or another we all have been guilty of this. I really appreciated the heart of this tale and it's not one you will easily forget.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18fBg0xTx73o2SGwAZlNdT_t22JH0-NyYdMlMBJmjrvXWunrKMOsbPsnk1bmnZ_mZlOEBSR1UUd0khIEuO71PH_O-xPKjZqBL1JXug8kBZkxQL3kyoCxJt4i4fpmBBozUgETbx3O_gHE/s1600/girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18fBg0xTx73o2SGwAZlNdT_t22JH0-NyYdMlMBJmjrvXWunrKMOsbPsnk1bmnZ_mZlOEBSR1UUd0khIEuO71PH_O-xPKjZqBL1JXug8kBZkxQL3kyoCxJt4i4fpmBBozUgETbx3O_gHE/s200/girl.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Karina, who you follow in her words, was a character that honestly grows on you. In the beginning you kind of don’t like her, she is selfish and pretty immature,
but as you go on her adventure she becomes an unforgettable character that might
go down as one of your favorites.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW8m8exyU6xUY2oQj51tzOJHKmt5C8MNUc2zsJe64On15pj71XsIl_h-1pMfUgtzvcNl3Vm0TneLysRtFicUI5W-4ZpN1FafC0vuoP1B-OO37fjdOPOeUDInG6ZkEWotgs16St1y7_TQ/s1600/s-l300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW8m8exyU6xUY2oQj51tzOJHKmt5C8MNUc2zsJe64On15pj71XsIl_h-1pMfUgtzvcNl3Vm0TneLysRtFicUI5W-4ZpN1FafC0vuoP1B-OO37fjdOPOeUDInG6ZkEWotgs16St1y7_TQ/s200/s-l300.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Anamatus is an original
tale, set in a new futuristic world that feels very western… I don’t want to
call it Steampunk, because it doesn’t quite fit that genre, but it has that fun
feeling. I REALLY liked it.<o:p></o:p><br />
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The monster of the story was pretty well done. Living in the Sierra Nevada mountain's, a fear of mine while traveling in the forest is running into a ferocious mountain lion. This bronze puma was indeed fearsome and a good picture of sin. A lot of times your sin doesn't just effect you, but also those around you, which was clearly, sadly, and lovingly shown in this tale.<br />
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Being a Believer I know we all have been given special talents by God... some of us are artist, some of us our amazing sports players,, and some us are extremely good at school. These are just a few examples. Some of us waste our talents on futile things and some of us bless others with them and use them for God's glory. I liked that Anamatus showed glory for God and in the end how He holds all of our stories. Even when we go astray His story is always the ending whether we choose that or not!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8X58HeC1sg4eKd2R0LQBAgYJ4QPkwdoR7ERVc2aOS9Yj3ETjBX33kPuKsttWRKE3iFytJcV4mIBebF6u7et2NnQdsTxaArqLunIzh6uY703CDhZKpkkMeLF0MnYARjy-oOdcglsS9qc/s1600/8d47c80053d587408171f698e2e59963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8X58HeC1sg4eKd2R0LQBAgYJ4QPkwdoR7ERVc2aOS9Yj3ETjBX33kPuKsttWRKE3iFytJcV4mIBebF6u7et2NnQdsTxaArqLunIzh6uY703CDhZKpkkMeLF0MnYARjy-oOdcglsS9qc/s200/8d47c80053d587408171f698e2e59963.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
As for the cover art and something I enjoy, is that it actually fits the story! It is sentimental and can be found on page 105. Maybe it will give you a smile, as it did me.<br />
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All in all I enjoyed this tale and would highly recommend it, especially to teenagers. We live in such a selfish world and if only we would let love, true love guild us...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyOIj9htMeGFTg9LYz9Anizb9dGH1LNYtd9vsQG-ZQVtMy7mVtw8PN5D9InSjMaQTIqjcJEAC4QWVCRkXbsA6YU_QxnuQS7QESh2h00cTq9mLBYlZliAqm-e7gWlgbJTaNGA_XeYdkSg/s1600/f34885a0-78f6-49af-80f9-772ed8909296_560_420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyOIj9htMeGFTg9LYz9Anizb9dGH1LNYtd9vsQG-ZQVtMy7mVtw8PN5D9InSjMaQTIqjcJEAC4QWVCRkXbsA6YU_QxnuQS7QESh2h00cTq9mLBYlZliAqm-e7gWlgbJTaNGA_XeYdkSg/s320/f34885a0-78f6-49af-80f9-772ed8909296_560_420.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
A few cons… every book has them. ;-)<br />
I wasn’t completely satisfied
with the ending. Not that it was horrible… far from it! I just had a few questions
unanswered. Perhaps we will have a sequel
in the future or maybe we should choose to answer those questions in our own imagination.
Also, there were a lot of different
classes that I felt and took as being different kinds of Christians… not sure
if this was the author’s purpose or not... maybe I'm overthinking. A few personal things said by some characters I would disagree
with... I'll leave that for the reader to decide. Because like our world there are indeed different kinds of believers and at times we see things differently. Some of those things really don't matter, while others greatly do!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQ4O802ciH6uPKqmgVEbcmJ8qPrWbGvGlblc-HbAcxQMXLwhqUVxvWcuB_abWxCSleahnNffIHnovJmIu6358QOe40SYG2whXld5w_tW9eNKdErMWfsXYKXkqTXlz2_m1H35ivODM7Iw/s1600/Dust-Bunnies-Ripey-Easter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQ4O802ciH6uPKqmgVEbcmJ8qPrWbGvGlblc-HbAcxQMXLwhqUVxvWcuB_abWxCSleahnNffIHnovJmIu6358QOe40SYG2whXld5w_tW9eNKdErMWfsXYKXkqTXlz2_m1H35ivODM7Iw/s320/Dust-Bunnies-Ripey-Easter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of Karina's lovely rabbits. ;-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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You can purchase Anamatus here...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Anamatus-Derrick-Tribble/dp/1523260211/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468721204&sr=8-1&keywords=anamatus" target="_blank">Amason Paperback</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Anamatus-Derrick-Tribble-ebook/dp/B01DNB7P7I/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1468721204&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon Kindle</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/anamatus-derrick-tribble/1123656260?ean=9781523260218" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a></div>
<br />R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-15745069489931446242016-04-30T15:22:00.000-07:002016-05-02T22:03:28.917-07:00Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette: Book Review and Giveaway...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH64kIleXzJ_iOcfNHcjUWU7VoetGuZBqsIaYVIojm77Vq72iZqyw14cerdlggO6UEg9G-3iBYycKsWNDsW-5Sx2uZ9TNlnMKge6L5pUq3hdVbkUOfz_w9ktwhcnTkBsUfvpxkwdxb-E/s1600/ccc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH64kIleXzJ_iOcfNHcjUWU7VoetGuZBqsIaYVIojm77Vq72iZqyw14cerdlggO6UEg9G-3iBYycKsWNDsW-5Sx2uZ9TNlnMKge6L5pUq3hdVbkUOfz_w9ktwhcnTkBsUfvpxkwdxb-E/s400/ccc.jpg" width="257" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>A Story of Love, Desperation, and Hope During a Great Biblical Epoch</b></div>
<br />
Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.<br />
<br />
To save her older brother and escape the bonds of slavery, Kiya flees with the Hebrews during the Great Exodus. She finds herself utterly dependent on a fearsome God she's only just beginning to learn about, and in love with a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away, will Kiya turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">My Review</span></b><br />
I was blessed to be able to be an advanced reader for this beautiful debut by Connilyn Cossette<br />
<br />
I devoured it within days and even stayed up way past my bed time. ;-)<br />
<br />
I highly recommend this tale and can see that Connilyn Cossette put a lot of hard work and heart into her story. I felt like I was in Egypt traveling right beside Kiya through her trails, finding true love and learning of Yahweh. I even learned some neat Egyptian history.<br />
<br />
I LOVED this book and the only bad thing I can stay about it, is that I felt like the very end was a little rushed... it could be because I didn't want it to end.<br />
<br />
I would recommend this beautiful tale to mature readers due to some topics that would not be appropriate to younger readers so I give it a PG-13 rating ( it mentions a few times about rape and has a few heavy war scenes. That kinda makes it sound like a really bad read, but I promise you it's not. It is indeed Christian, just not for kids.)<br />
<br />
I cannot wait for book two, Shadow of the Storm coming this October.<br />
<br />
Because I liked this book so much, I’m doing a GIVEAWAY! This will be for a paper back version and will be only available to those in the U.S.<br />
Winner will be picked next Saturday May 7th.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="ce2ea11d14" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea11d14/" id="rcwidget_mzlrhqf1" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-61135595073297342152015-08-02T16:33:00.001-07:002015-08-02T17:27:44.561-07:00Love Revolution: Anonymous Love...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI8mH_bg8Rh4_M1giIXngzRtxcvnydyLs4H_FzwMfVvANpOXrDgXyR8gHdXc9PzgDIHK_1ZLWLgJi_TJMOmFvIZ3qXXiJEom4y8dLcWYVkpOBP60ZhUkzZnLVUqcXoa4NCKyaUVEc-Lk/s1600/ecclesiastes3.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI8mH_bg8Rh4_M1giIXngzRtxcvnydyLs4H_FzwMfVvANpOXrDgXyR8gHdXc9PzgDIHK_1ZLWLgJi_TJMOmFvIZ3qXXiJEom4y8dLcWYVkpOBP60ZhUkzZnLVUqcXoa4NCKyaUVEc-Lk/s320/ecclesiastes3.12.jpg" width="320" /></a>Authentic beauty is not based on what we’re wearing or how we look, it flows out of our hearts and is a form of worship of our King. This beauty grows when we open our eyes to the hurting souls around us—our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends, our spouses, our children—and ask, “What can I do today to show them the love of Jesus?” The simplest act, even a kind word, is the first step toward a radiant beauty that will endear us in the eyes of the One who matters most.<br />
<br />
<b>Love/Dare Challenge Five:</b><br />
Lets start August of with a burst of fun... how about a random act of kindness. I've had this couple on my heart for the last month and I want to treat them to a night out at the movies and I don't want them to know it's from me. So my challenge is to surprise someone with some kind of kindness. It could be homemade cookies or a small gift-card. Have fun with it, but make it anonymous. Write them a little note and tell them to pass the kindness on... maybe it will never end. ;-)<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I give you a new commandment: tha</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">t you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"> - John 13:34-35</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I need your help (YES that means YOU) because love can’t stay silent…</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s1600/love_by_auroille.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #0093c3; float: left; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s320/love_by_auroille.png" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="233" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lately there has been a lot of talk about “Love”. What is Love? Everywhere we turn there is something about “Love Wins” but is it really love or something else?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I’ve been aching to do this for some time, but I can’t do this alone. Dare to Love?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Join me in the Love Revolution every week and feel free to share your stories and ideas in the comment s<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">ection</span> below or email me at <a href="mailto:ryanheart89@comcast.net" style="color: #0093c3;">ryanheart89@comcast.net</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Let's not just talk about love, let's practice real love.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">For some, the only love they will ever see, will be from you. You will be their glimpse of God. What an awesome privilege and responsibility. As Christians we are His hands and feet, and sometimes His smile!</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-love-revolution-dare-to-love.html" style="color: #0093c3; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">First Love Dare... What is Love?</a></span></b><br />
<b style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"></span><b style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-love-revolution-saying-i-love-you.html" style="color: #0093c3; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Second Love Dare... Saying I Love You.</a></b><br />
<br style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" />
<b style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-love-revolution-another-chance.html" style="color: #0093c3; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Third Love Dare... Another Chance.</a></b><br />
<br style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" />
<b style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/2015/07/love-revolution-love-in-action.html" style="color: #0093c3; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Fourth Love Dare... Love in Action </a></b><br />
<br style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" />
<a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/2015/08/love-revolution-anonymous-love.html" style="background-color: black; color: #0093c3; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>Fifth Love Dare... Anonymous Love...</b></a><br />
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R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-32835156136529204992015-07-26T22:24:00.000-07:002015-07-26T22:37:15.925-07:00Love Revolution: Love in Action...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YdLIqpTLrsYHUMSIAu4gy58w6dil4T24OzB1m4KU_LUmYv7rk4edhmI86DQulA9K1WPfFAFBSS-xNJzBnlQpCWWBjgEDiJmFj2rRDC6FEQdVDcb1qSWfiMSW6GecP7CuDfbaInPgSBE/s1600/Feb16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YdLIqpTLrsYHUMSIAu4gy58w6dil4T24OzB1m4KU_LUmYv7rk4edhmI86DQulA9K1WPfFAFBSS-xNJzBnlQpCWWBjgEDiJmFj2rRDC6FEQdVDcb1qSWfiMSW6GecP7CuDfbaInPgSBE/s1600/Feb16.jpg" /></a>Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.<br />
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap <br />
burning coals upon his head.<br />
<b>Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.</b><br />
~ Romans 12:19-21<br />
<br />
Have you seen the movie, The Count of Monte Cristo? It's one that most people really enjoy. I've seen it a few times and considered it a pretty good movie, even recommended it, yet one thing has always been sort of a downer for me, something that I rooted for in the movie, but shouldn't have. In case you haven't seen the movie here is a short synopsis on it...<br />
<br />
The Count of Monte Cristo' is a remake of the Alexander Dumas tale by the same name. Dantes, a sailor who is falsely accused of treason by his best friend Fernand, who wants Dantes' girlfriend Mercedes for himself. Dantes is imprisoned on the island prison of Chateau d'If for 13 years, where he plots revenge against those who betrayed him. With the help of another prisoner, he escapes the island and proceeds to transform himself into the wealthy Count of Monte Cristo as part of his plan to exact revenge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQB1_tjO8hA3Z5YBPCJl9ICLK0HAPXS572Ha9o7BLQCfcaq2_kPuMBuIo7iUWFOIJIv6E2eK5cArgVGfsA0DqPnQ4zeV4ZNwOt2_c9ravWzYpovSrU9MWlFTuv0TlcZkq6ED8q00qGxc/s1600/62dffb60fe4107499394b5182473ead7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQB1_tjO8hA3Z5YBPCJl9ICLK0HAPXS572Ha9o7BLQCfcaq2_kPuMBuIo7iUWFOIJIv6E2eK5cArgVGfsA0DqPnQ4zeV4ZNwOt2_c9ravWzYpovSrU9MWlFTuv0TlcZkq6ED8q00qGxc/s320/62dffb60fe4107499394b5182473ead7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The entire movie is about betrayal and exacting revenge. During the time that Dantes is in prison there are five words carved on his prison cell walls, "God Will Give Me Justice " He carves them in deeper during the 13 years he stayed in this horrible prison, as if he were etching them into his brain, yet sadly he didn't understand them.<br />
<br />
Dantes seems to get everything he could ever want when he becomes the Count of Monte Cristo, yet he is not pleased until he kills his friend that betrayed him.<br />
<br />
We all have been betrayed by someone in our life that we trusted and loved. I was homeschooled during my high-school years, yet I went through some painful high-school drama from a girl that said some mean lies about my family and I. Too many people believed her lies and it greatly hurt. I wanted revenge against this pain. She had taken friends away from me and made me and my family into something we were not. This was a trying time, yet as crazy as this might sound, I am glad for it all. I learned to overcome evil, with love. This girl was a sad and miserable person... I didn't want to become like her. So I treated her with kindness and love.<br />
<br />
When we exact revenge we become like the ones who gave it... nothing good comes out it... only more sorrow.<br />
<br />
Joyce Meyer says it in a nice way, <i>"But you don't know what was done to me," people say when trying to excuse their bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. Based on what the Bible says, it really does not matter how great the offense was. We serve a God Who is greater, and if we will handle the offense in the right way, He will bring us justice and recompense when we allow Him to do so.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In Isaiah 61: 7 the Lord promises us, "Instead of your {former} shame you shall have a twofold recompense." A recompense is a reward. It is a payback for past hurts. It is like worker's compensation. The Lord once told me, "Joyce, you work for Me, and as long as you do, if you get hurt on the job, I will pay you back."</i><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzLeI7IJGme6ATAkku4kmxDi8DF8tGNMMweWm5Tf6ROoJpjjygY8phY0HHAfSAqfmGgNoTndlSIktyqgqfhKq1fYXR61qZSdBFbkYN1Yvxp2rctbq4aSkMjTGXiCLzxpgKk3GR4QyRKQ/s1600/for.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzLeI7IJGme6ATAkku4kmxDi8DF8tGNMMweWm5Tf6ROoJpjjygY8phY0HHAfSAqfmGgNoTndlSIktyqgqfhKq1fYXR61qZSdBFbkYN1Yvxp2rctbq4aSkMjTGXiCLzxpgKk3GR4QyRKQ/s1600/for.jpg" /></a>Jesus taught us that we are to forgive those who hurt us, pray for those who spitefully use us, and <br />
bless those who curse us. That is hard. But there is something harder: being full of hatred, bitterness,<br />
and resentment.<br />
<br />
God will give you justice. It might not be what you expect, but in the end it will be better than you could of imagined. That is if you trust Him to...<br />
<br />
<b>Love/Dare Challenge Four:</b><br />
We all have someone in our life that is unkind and treats us poorly. This week try to show some love towards them. Instead of being irritated when they treat you poorly, repay it with kindness. Continue to smile, love them like Jesus would. You might just be surprised in the end... a foe could possible turn into a friend. Please know I'm not saying to do this to someone that is a danger to you; such as an abuser, in that case, pray for them, because it will be good and healing for <i>you</i>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I give you a new commandment: tha</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">t you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"> - John 13:34-35</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I need your help (YES that means YOU) because love can’t stay silent…</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s1600/love_by_auroille.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #0093c3; float: left; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s320/love_by_auroille.png" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="233" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lately there has been a lot of talk about “Love”. What is Love? Everywhere we turn there is something about “Love Wins” but is it really love or something else?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I’ve been aching to do this for some time, but I can’t do this alone. Dare to Love?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Join me in the Love Revolution every week and feel free to share your stories and ideas in the comment s<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">ection</span> below or email me at <a href="mailto:ryanheart89@comcast.net" style="color: #0093c3; text-decoration: none;">ryanheart89@comcast.net</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Let's not just talk about love, let's practice real love.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">For some, the only love they will ever see, will be from you. You will be their glimpse of God. What an awesome privilege and responsibility. As Christians we are His hands and feet, and sometimes His smile!</span><br />
<br />
<br />R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-23762399555632776782015-07-19T20:45:00.001-07:002015-07-19T20:54:18.222-07:00The Love Revolution: Another Chance...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pwr8WfKHX8otpYMek2LmhaeyPwbqNG1VOTl0Udv1Cia4HYGm5f8PeOCZM3-XZJf3L58JesVAy7HUBuOnwyrxzuci7afWsks5zQC0pN_ggSrASVsqNX6FInaqsbjgJsIEstOiNynk_P4/s1600/where_is_love__by_julkusiowa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pwr8WfKHX8otpYMek2LmhaeyPwbqNG1VOTl0Udv1Cia4HYGm5f8PeOCZM3-XZJf3L58JesVAy7HUBuOnwyrxzuci7afWsks5zQC0pN_ggSrASVsqNX6FInaqsbjgJsIEstOiNynk_P4/s320/where_is_love__by_julkusiowa.jpg" width="206" /></a>Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy ] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart .<br />
~1 Peter 1:22<br />
<br />
Now we all have heard and perhaps said the phrase, "First impressions are lasting impressions." You do usually remember the first time meeting someone. You remember if they were nice, rude, grumpy, happy... you get my point. First impressions are important, but they shouldn't be the last impression.<br />
<br />
I know without a doubt that I've given bad first impressions of myself. Through the majority of my teenage years, I was painfully shy. I'm sure I gave the impression of being snotty, when in reality I was very self-conscious of myself and I didn't really "fit-in". Teenage years can be brutal!<br />
<br />
Have you ever seen the movie or read the book, Pride and Prejudice? A pretty good story on first impressions. There is a character in it called, Mr Darcy. When you are first introduced to him, you right away dislike him, but by the end of the movie, you love him. Don't lose the chance of really getting to know someone because they gave a poor first impression of themselves.<br />
<br />
I once had a job interview that I had to do online. After giving all my information and past history I had to take a one hundred question psych test... I guess the grocery store really didn't want to hire any crazy people. Knowing that I should hear back in a few short days for an in person interview, I waited, believing I would be called. A week and a half went by, so I gave them a call, thinking my application didn't go through. To my surprise they informed me that I failed the psych test and did not qualify for an in person interview. Ya. that was awkward! Looking at this now it's kinda funny that a silly test would judge and tell who I am... I wonder how many questions I was allowed to fail. I wasn't really given a chance to show who I truly was. Sometimes like this test we quickly judge others and pass them up. Everyone is worth a try... even if they fail a psych test ;-)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxUaGKQIB1swzxZnhbSj6boiKU_yVpqRuZDIrEdht7Yhl9Us-6iTJLrH0wpNzHgrtyyd_RmX77-ebFWae2C7fXLQL8TfOB67QsapFxyI3gqBufKQ-BKslg-5IQkZ2o81xtYPPpCQ1XX0/s1600/love11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJxUaGKQIB1swzxZnhbSj6boiKU_yVpqRuZDIrEdht7Yhl9Us-6iTJLrH0wpNzHgrtyyd_RmX77-ebFWae2C7fXLQL8TfOB67QsapFxyI3gqBufKQ-BKslg-5IQkZ2o81xtYPPpCQ1XX0/s320/love11.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><br />
<b>Love/Dare Challenge Three:</b><br />
<br />
Is there someone you should give another chance?<br />
Is there someone you would like to give another impression of yourself to?<br />
I dare you this week to personally give someone another chance, whether it be of yourself or them. Here is a good start, invite them to join you for lunch, or even more casual coffee/tea or ice-cream.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I give you a new commandment: tha</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">t you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"> - John 13:34-35</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I need your help (YES that means YOU) because love can’t stay silent…</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s1600/love_by_auroille.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #0093c3; float: left; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s320/love_by_auroille.png" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="233" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lately there has been a lot of talk about “Love”. What is Love? Everywhere we turn there is something about “Love Wins” but is it really love or something else?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I’ve been aching to do this for some time, but I can’t do this alone. Dare to Love?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Join me in the Love Revolution every week and feel free to share your stories and ideas in the comment s<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">ection</span> below or email me at <a href="mailto:ryanheart89@comcast.net" style="color: #0093c3;">ryanheart89@comcast.net</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria;"><span style="font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Let's not just talk about love, let's practice real love.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">For some, the only love they will ever see, will be from you. You will be their glimpse of God. What an awesome privilege and responsibility. As Christians we are His hands and feet, and sometimes His smile!</span>R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-18133991118791201452015-07-12T14:24:00.000-07:002015-07-12T14:33:31.424-07:00The Love Revolution: Saying I love you...Last week I started what I'm calling a Love Revolution. Every Monday I'll be posting a Love/Dare, a challenge to show some honest love. Take a look at last weeks challenge here, <a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-love-revolution-dare-to-love.html" target="_blank">Love? What is it?</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zxj5gowQ1oB2tycxCKid0wRqXYQRAMZvN8bPyoLXojOR1xVg7gKqWMn5ZatvVA4d_3xrxtU77NPoFhwid43FJZYefo0C6syFbpzikOuHd6w9gNOnzUrhdsg8XplJCpkJKKiIQP5LrpA/s1600/Feb6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zxj5gowQ1oB2tycxCKid0wRqXYQRAMZvN8bPyoLXojOR1xVg7gKqWMn5ZatvVA4d_3xrxtU77NPoFhwid43FJZYefo0C6syFbpzikOuHd6w9gNOnzUrhdsg8XplJCpkJKKiIQP5LrpA/s1600/Feb6.jpg" /></a>A few years ago my mom and I had to take our dog Wyatt (who was a puppy at the time), to an emergency vet visit. Poor Wyatt's eyes and face quickly swelled up that morning and gave us quite a scare. The vet was not able to see us until mid-afternoon. We could tell that little Wyatt was in great pain, but there was nothing we could do, but give him some comfort, with gentle words and soft petting.<br />
<br />
Sadly, my family and I struggled with Wyatt for the first year we had him. It was what I felt a "love and hate" relationship with him... more of a hate with me. He's full blown Australian Shepherd ... Google that, and you'll see what we dealt with. Too much energy, scary smarts, with a mix of... crazy. Marley and Me, looked mild compared to him.<br />
<br />
During this scary incident though, I realized how much I actually loved him. How much I truly cared for him. How much sorrow filled my heart, at the thought of something really bad happening to him.<br />
<br />
I hear too many people say how they rarely hear or say the words "I Love You" to the ones they care about. Don't let an opportunity of saying, I Love You, ever pass you by. There is no such thing of ever saying it too much, but there is such a thing of saying it too little or sadly not getting another chance to.<br />
<br />
I love my church, where total strangers and friends hug you (I'm not a huge fan of it, but I'm getting better ;-)) and freely say I love you. There is something powerful in these three words.<br />
<br />
<b>Love/Dare Challenge Two…</b><br />
Tell someone that you haven’t told in a while that you love them. Let them know how much they mean to you. If you can’t in person, give them a call. Don’t wait… tomorrow is never promised.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I give you a new commandment: tha</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">t you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].</span><span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"> - John 13:34-35</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I need your help (YES that means YOU) because love can’t stay silent…</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s1600/love_by_auroille.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; clear: left; color: #0093c3; float: left; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsSX6nuqlASQCDZP9XYxu0UB75UldDn0LOAmJ2lYG6PP9RP35qzQGhAUbfPObjwhN4BKIXM3pAHgE7FW1l1UAogPx7Oe2m01_LvmIE2y9d0mrpdzjCFCbXDhlHdbNTX6GoHu2u9MpwK0/s320/love_by_auroille.png" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="233" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lately there has been a lot of talk about “Love”. What is Love? Everywhere we turn there is something about “Love Wins” but is it really love or something else?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I’ve been aching to do this for some time, but I can’t do this alone. Dare to Love?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Join me in the Love Revolution every week and feel free to share your stories and ideas in the comment s<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;">ection</span> below or email me at <a href="mailto:ryanheart89@comcast.net" style="color: #0093c3; text-decoration: none;">ryanheart89@comcast.net</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria;"><span style="font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Let's not just talk about love, let's practice real love.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">For some, the only love they will ever see, will be from you. You will be their glimpse of God. What an awesome privilege and responsibility. As Christians we are His hands and feet, and sometimes His smile!</span><span class="userContent" style="background-color: black; color: #c8c8c8; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.8500003814697px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"></span><br />
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R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-49241536264781553572015-07-05T19:27:00.001-07:002015-07-05T19:54:33.001-07:00The Love Revolution: Dare to Love...?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQFUgKTGMWXJq5f1sW5-6whObRDq7STuF8_nODrCb5zgiDI4_IPw_mwVCpSNfoHyO5eMWJyX3lVZa4CP9wc0QzUPhNhciqNIMrl1CQwhZc4BcaFEepPBRwZchnwiZ-GFEF-FoCPRDmbE/s1600/what-is-love1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQFUgKTGMWXJq5f1sW5-6whObRDq7STuF8_nODrCb5zgiDI4_IPw_mwVCpSNfoHyO5eMWJyX3lVZa4CP9wc0QzUPhNhciqNIMrl1CQwhZc4BcaFEepPBRwZchnwiZ-GFEF-FoCPRDmbE/s320/what-is-love1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b> <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>I need your help (YES
that means YOU) because love can’t stay silent…<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lately there has been a lot of talk about “Love”. What is Love?
Everywhere we turn there is something about “Love Wins” but is it really love
or something else?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Regardless of your status, race or the economics, everyone
values love and recognizes that it is love that shapes what is true and good.
The term “Love” has always been used so broadly to describe an emotional
attraction between two or more people. But the truth of the matter is that
there are three kinds of love in the Bible and this includes Eros, Agape and
Philos. So if you really want to learn how you can follow Jesus’s command to
always love one another please read on.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>EROS LOVE</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nQCcKz60T88WRyBn9SYv5X-WRUp4_km5hJWePaZEQgS4U3QBB2xI1D8_plL6rh-sOZntHqwpVkO3RxVc3LZRGW3I9bkA4Bzzp7AIkMwTFFKzE563zsFR4sxVQb0aDCqIIQTDAcny7Gw/s1600/img-thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nQCcKz60T88WRyBn9SYv5X-WRUp4_km5hJWePaZEQgS4U3QBB2xI1D8_plL6rh-sOZntHqwpVkO3RxVc3LZRGW3I9bkA4Bzzp7AIkMwTFFKzE563zsFR4sxVQb0aDCqIIQTDAcny7Gw/s200/img-thing.jpg" width="200" /></a>Eros is a Greek term which actually means desire and
longing. And according to the Greek methodology, Eros is the name of the Greek
god of love. Also referred to as erotic love, this is a selfish kind of love as
it associated with sexual love. Eros love is based on the strong feeling we
have against one another and it usually develops during the 1st stage of a
romantic relationship. This kind of love is based on the physical traits. And
unless it is redeemed by the Lord’s presence; this type of love can end up
being possessive, since it always seeks to 1st conquer and then control.<o:p></o:p></div>
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God created physical attraction between a man and a woman,
but He never intended for it to be selfish. He created desire and longing which
makes up sexual love which is crucial in any marriage. This love was meant to
be preserved between a couple and it is essential for any healthy marriage. And
since it is mostly based on self-benefit, many people tend to fall out of love
if they are not happy with the marriage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>PHILOS LOVE</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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This is a unique kind of love like the one you have for a
companion or pal. It refers to loving one another just like your brother or
sister. This love is for a pal who is really close and dear to us and it is
characterized by various different shared experiences between two people. In
fact this is the kind of love that many Christians tend to practice towards one
another. And although philos love is really wonderful, it is not always reliable, since it can end up souring at times as we have all experienced at
some point in our lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>AGAPE LOVE</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0beVI7A8stvyY5FD3K5sWrmQ5oSzLkTRGCfsyiDjRSPub6jE-PDOO3Gj9KjSLmoMjxUX2WKriEwZNgt4tNoT6zjYZ-tljklAKSNOvmy49A0THgx6HU3MlcYYNlK9FIc6PLDZEWBlGAPc/s1600/unconditional-love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0beVI7A8stvyY5FD3K5sWrmQ5oSzLkTRGCfsyiDjRSPub6jE-PDOO3Gj9KjSLmoMjxUX2WKriEwZNgt4tNoT6zjYZ-tljklAKSNOvmy49A0THgx6HU3MlcYYNlK9FIc6PLDZEWBlGAPc/s320/unconditional-love.jpg" width="320" /></a>This is a special term which represents the divine-love of
the Lord towards his Son Jesus Christ, and us. This
is the best of the three types of love in the bible, in fact Jesus himself
showed this type of divine love to his Father and humanity. Agape love
is the love that God commanded all believers to have for everyone whether
he/she is a believer or not. Agape love should never be determined by our
feelings; it is more of a set of behaviors or actions. </div>
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Agape love is above philos love and eros love. It is a love
that is totally selfless, where a person gives out love to another person even
if this act does not benefit her/him in any way. Whether the love given is
returned or not, the person continues to love (even without any self-benefit).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Agape Love… That is true love and the love I want to dwell
on. The love I want you and me to share. Loving others more than ourselves. A sacrificial
and unconditional love… beautiful!<o:p></o:p></div>
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This week begins my Love Revolution. I’ve been aching to do
this for some time, but I can’t do this alone. Every week I'll have a new
challenge, some will be harder than others, but all will be on love (Agape
or Philos). I’m going to call them a Love/Dare and I hope you are daring enough
to join in. Not sure how long this will last, but I hope to do it all Summer long...<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>First Love/Dare
Challenge: Be a smile to those around you...<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Reach out to someone who seems alone this week. Someone that you have
noticed, but don’t really know. Befriend them! You might be surprise at what
you find. It could be your neighbor. It could be a coworker. It could be a
classmate. It could even be the lady who rings your items up at the grocery store. Reach out. Too
many of us feel lonely. A simple, “Hello, how have you been?” means a lot!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t know why, but I’ve been struggling with an overwhelming feeling of suicide (NOT me personally) but perhaps someone near me… maybe
even a stranger? I’ve been running into odd things and I don’t really know what
to think clearly on it all. It’s really been bothering me!</div>
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So, if there
is someone out there that’s feeling really down, I want you to know that there
is hope… real beautiful hope. And if you are someone close, I’m here if you
need to talk. You are noticed and dearly loved!</div>
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(((If you accept this challenge, feel free to share your
story in the comments, and be sure to come back next Monday for another Love/Dare
Challenge.)))<o:p></o:p></div>
R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-44177274869756860072015-04-15T22:47:00.000-07:002015-04-15T23:00:10.011-07:00CSFF Blog Tour: Storm Siren by Mary Weber... <div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFH9eHTYMT_IByyiDHP1PHNCEDmbDhrnE-MTn8-eWIRO8znEU8MLjwARaFRY7oBh2Hwy0yACtNnS_T7-UJh-47w6Z4O7SeVVM5HYgMPtw3uViI-GrHgn0UW6Be3GWyJVWzwqa7WAVAds/s1600/storm-siren-book-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFH9eHTYMT_IByyiDHP1PHNCEDmbDhrnE-MTn8-eWIRO8znEU8MLjwARaFRY7oBh2Hwy0yACtNnS_T7-UJh-47w6Z4O7SeVVM5HYgMPtw3uViI-GrHgn0UW6Be3GWyJVWzwqa7WAVAds/s1600/storm-siren-book-cover.jpg" height="400" width="252" /></a>I haven’t done a book tour in a long time. I've missed the
CSFF Blog Tour.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This month we are doing a tour on Storm Siren by Mary Weber.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">About the book:</span> </b></div>
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Author: Mary Weber</div>
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Book: Storm Siren (Book One)</div>
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Genre: Science-fiction/fantasy/Young Adult/</div>
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Pages: 352</div>
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Publisher: Thomas Nelson</div>
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Age range: Older teen mature 17+</div>
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Lots of gore, death, and holds sensual scenes that would not be appropriate for younger readers. </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I raise my chin as the buyers stare. Yes. Look. You don’t want me. Because, eventually, accidentally, I will destroy you.”</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But what if she doesn’t want to be the weapon they’ve all been waiting for?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NszwFLSty4GWyNJCnAW71vdpo-0xdDGGQ_qMxLJAZ6CGmlhrDefnYZm3O-cn5-Jo8ZGg_hUgUHOR5DODSWn74UPCd8QEt7ZOjHffph0UefATv63_hhty-aKRqpVGiSjQRoj-KxCkbSQ/s1600/3darkesthour080911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NszwFLSty4GWyNJCnAW71vdpo-0xdDGGQ_qMxLJAZ6CGmlhrDefnYZm3O-cn5-Jo8ZGg_hUgUHOR5DODSWn74UPCd8QEt7ZOjHffph0UefATv63_hhty-aKRqpVGiSjQRoj-KxCkbSQ/s1600/3darkesthour080911.jpg" height="162" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">My Review:</span></b></div>
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Sadly I don’t have a good review. One, my week has been crazy so I can’t make this too long and two, I did not like this book.</div>
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In fact I disliked it so much, I’m debating on what to say and what not to.</div>
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Being a writer myself, I never like to be “mean” or only say bad things about a book, for I know there was a lot of time, heart and dedication put into this, but boy was I (the reader) disappointed.</div>
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I think what gets me the most on Storm Siren, is that I was expecting something Christian and received nothing. It wasn't even what I would call a “clean” read. It held no message, or really even a hope of one. Maybe some glimmers of redemption, but nothing really Christian. This was what I would call a secular work, and perhaps if that's what it claimed to be, I wouldn't be as hard on this tale.</div>
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I really hated the romance within it! I like romance and after all I’m a girl, but this was just shallow and at times inappropriate and sometimes confusing.</div>
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I honestly cannot think of anything I really liked about this book. Wish I could, but I can't. I’m grateful for receiving a copy and I see that this story has touched others, but I will not continue with the rest of the series. </div>
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You got my two cents, but be sure to see what the rest of the tour has to say about Storm Siren by Mary Weber.</div>
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Lauren Bombardier</div>
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Beckie Burnham</div>
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Vicky DealSharingAunt</div>
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George Duncan</div>
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April Erwin</div>
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Carol Gehringer</div>
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Victor Gentile</div>
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Ryan Heart</div>
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Timothy Hicks</div>
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Janeen Ippolito</div>
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Carol Keen</div>
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Emileigh Latham</div>
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Simone Lilly-Egerter</div>
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Jennette Mbewe</div>
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Shannon McDermott</div>
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Meagan @ Blooming with Books</div>
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Rebecca LuElla Miller</div>
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Joan Nienhuis</div>
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Nissa</div>
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Jalynn Patterson</div>
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Audrey Sauble</div>
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Chawna Schroeder</div>
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Jojo Sutis</div>
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Steve Trower</div>
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Phyllis Wheeler</div>
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Michelle R. Wood </div>
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Storm Siren – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Siren-Trilogy/dp/1401690343/">http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Siren-Trilogy/dp/1401690343/</a><br />
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Author Website – <a href="http://www.maryweber.com/">http://www.maryweber.com/</a></div>
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Author Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/marychristineweber">https://www.facebook.com/marychristineweber</a><br />
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R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-29708487485345001912015-01-24T22:14:00.000-08:002015-01-24T22:20:25.336-08:00Singer of Bees...For those of you that follow me, I didn't reach my goal of completely finishing TROH last year. I believe it's close, but I want to let it sit for a little while… like a month or two. I think I focused too hard on it and my mind went a little crazy on over thinking a few things. No fear, I’m not abandoning it, I just need some fresh eyes before handing it over to a few special people, who will eventually led to giving it to all of you.<br />
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In other news, this year I want to work on another project called <i>Singer of Bees.</i> It’s a story I've had on my mind for the last two years and I feel led to finally let it go.(Start singing Frozen)<br />
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So here is the lovely cover-art and the "sort-of" synopsis (It needs work!).<br />
<strike> </strike><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcdXGCiwPAgmV8Ct_VTn9dsxkckRGh2Ws7cEFC58FrvJHYG4xyJr1QgxNP_W62eVCgfMk4kTJffW6YIdDLWTBgXtWJlFAVyjfoeBHim5xzhuAxBU7LYDzh4LjxktO92YgOSYlQYrRaxA/s1600/SOBCart+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRcdXGCiwPAgmV8Ct_VTn9dsxkckRGh2Ws7cEFC58FrvJHYG4xyJr1QgxNP_W62eVCgfMk4kTJffW6YIdDLWTBgXtWJlFAVyjfoeBHim5xzhuAxBU7LYDzh4LjxktO92YgOSYlQYrRaxA/s1600/SOBCart+copy.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">King Ksil is </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">throwing a celebration in honor of his kingdom and in doing so he wants to include the Bee Children. The King</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> gives this hard task to his most beloved knight, Mori. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mori would do anything for his king, but he hates the Bee Children. They are slaves after all and worth nothing in his eyes. Traveling on a journey across the kingdom he searches for his king's wish and is surprised at what his finds.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Devora has always been in slavery, yet holds onto the promise of her King, <i>one day she will be free.</i> Singing her praises to her King, she gets tangled in a mess she never dreamed would come true.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Devora opens Mori's eyes to love and the King of kings. With a new hope Mori decides to share the truth to his king, but when a sinister plan to kill all the Bee Children is lead from King Ksil himself, will Mori have the courage to disobey his king for a Bee Child? Will he be able to take bold steps for the King of kings?</span></span><br />
<strike> </strike><br />
I'd like to finish this tale by summer. I plan on making it a short novella of 20,000 words. So far I'm at 4,000 words. It's a YA fantasy (of course) loosely inspired off of the Biblical story of <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Deborah and the Bible verses of </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Zechariah 10:8-10 (AMP version). We'll see where this all goes... many of you know I don't follow goals very well. </span><br />
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On another topic, what do you all think of my new blog look?R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-3943622884307340392014-11-21T14:35:00.000-08:002014-11-21T14:36:24.961-08:00Where do you draw the line?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yOUw6TCf8Ow" width="420"></iframe>
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I see a lot of friends excited about the newest Hunger Games that is releasing today. I’ll admit I’ve read the books and I’ve watched the first two films. They left me not feeling too good. I loved the archery and a few of the characters, yet what’s honestly entertaining about watching children kill one another, in detail? Where are the good “parent” figures . . . there was none? And what’s the purpose of the story? Just think about it for a second . . . And the biggest question, where is God?</div>
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I watched an interview on Suzanne Collins, and really liked what she wanted to show and teach in her series, yet I feel like it has been buried under something much different. </div>
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I admit some books I’ve reviewed had some major flaws that didn’t settle will with me. I use the excuse that it’s just fiction. I’ve turned down books and refused to purchase others, some even from my favorite authors. No more dystopian please! It’s just so depressing. </div>
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So my question is, where do you draw the line on books and movies? I believe we don’t think about this enough.
This is something that’s been bugging me lately, especially being a “fantasy” writer. I sadly don’t freely admit that I’m a fantasy writer; I don’t like the questions that usually follow. So I hide it, because who likes to be looked at as being even stranger. ;-) </div>
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I like what Bryan Davis says in the video above. I was not a fan of him when I first came across him. Somehow I kept collecting books by him and letting them sit on my shelf. A few years ago I had a rough year of family members in the hospital. His “Dragons of Starlight” series comforted me. Sounds silly, but his writing honestly has God all over it. </div>
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I like books/movies that have a bigger purpose to them, that point to someone bigger and something deeper. Just my two cents and something I pray I’m doing with TROH, even with all its ugliness and many flaws. </div>
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I pray you too take this to heart. </div>
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~Philippians 4:8 </div>
R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-35024759773708796112014-10-11T20:03:00.002-07:002014-10-19T13:37:56.843-07:00Servants and Thieves by Derrick Tribble and GIVEAWAY . . . <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkMAAUelSvQk6BMQ9Qm3PMtKQlZTEY9Ozo_Bf02Dk8WLHR9tL-2GZ1CFdzYUaaDLAgw5zdqwWSSw2Lu2w8a9cJCcMR-4zYHUkp4ZNKe3blsrdQzc_2lEr2AvWk8V6w-85eYFgK-fp1kA/s1600/51OxzDD9v-L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkMAAUelSvQk6BMQ9Qm3PMtKQlZTEY9Ozo_Bf02Dk8WLHR9tL-2GZ1CFdzYUaaDLAgw5zdqwWSSw2Lu2w8a9cJCcMR-4zYHUkp4ZNKe3blsrdQzc_2lEr2AvWk8V6w-85eYFgK-fp1kA/s1600/51OxzDD9v-L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="400" width="262" /></a><b>About the book:</b><br />
<b>Author</b>: Derrick Tribble<br />
<b>Book:</b> The Wanderers of Time series (Book One)<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Science-fiction/Young Adult/Christian.<br />
<b>Pages: </b>308<br />
<b>Age range:</b> Highly recommended to ages 13 and up<br />
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<b>"Our parents are gone, and it's my fault."</b></div>
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<b>"What?"</b></div>
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<b>"I prayed for something interesting to happen . . . and it did."</b></div>
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It was supposed to be a fun trip to London, packed with sightseeing, fine dining and family time. But a freak lab accident robs them of their parents, and now Amy and Ben must dive into an adventure bigger than space and time. They go through the same mysterious arch their parents vanished into, and emerge into the Victorian era.<br />
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As they search for their parents, Amy and Ben encounter an eccentric and deadly crime lord who wants the secret of time travel -- a secret he thinks they have -- and he will stop at nothing to get it. To survive, Amy and Ben must stand up for what's right, persevere in the midst of their trials, and develop character that leads to hope.<br />
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Can these two 21st century teens overcome Queen Victoria's London, and discover the way home?<br />
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<b>About the Author:</b><br />
Derrick Tribble lives in the foothills of California, where the air is clear and fresh, and the trees are big. He shares his house with his wife and two children, and two strange cats. When not writing, he can occasionally be found working or playing the drums.<br />
For more information on Derrick and his writing visit his website<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b> <a href="http://derricktribble.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">http://derricktribble.com/</span></a> </b></span>and become a fan at <a href="http://facebook.com/derricktribblethatauthorguy" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>facebook.com/derricktribblethatauthorguy</b></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3JPqD8C2gRWLnk8PVTYHehSI_ckxPEJXKEaThA5MZAL4WbdsS_kkD0LQcsxAxm7aIz5j_CV0p5V-CDFoa3LgbXrOWbPIxVYW1_SvSJ3i6BsKYmIICkyk7_gk_ntPcM4NVR6CPrvhblM/s1600/time_traveler_by_ldragomir593-d6eu92q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3JPqD8C2gRWLnk8PVTYHehSI_ckxPEJXKEaThA5MZAL4WbdsS_kkD0LQcsxAxm7aIz5j_CV0p5V-CDFoa3LgbXrOWbPIxVYW1_SvSJ3i6BsKYmIICkyk7_gk_ntPcM4NVR6CPrvhblM/s1600/time_traveler_by_ldragomir593-d6eu92q.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="282" /></a><b></b><br />
<b>My Review . . .</b><br />
You know how it feels when you find a book and it feels like treasure? Will that’s how Servants and Thieves was . . . a treasure. I stumbled upon this book from a friend and thought it sounded interesting. Time traveling into the Victorian era, along with a Christian touch. Why not give that a go?<br />
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The main characters Ben and Amy were great. They felt real! I really enjoyed following Ben and Amy on their point of views and liked the switch off between them every other chapter. He also did a good job on humor and how some of us (girls) can be a little dramatic.<br />
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This book brought back old memories on why I fell in love with Christian Speculative fiction. Perhaps it’s just me, but I've been a little bored the last two years. Wanderers in Time, brought back that spark on why this genre is so good. If you enjoy tales of adventure with depth and heart, some fun history and real characters; then you’ll really enjoy book one of this wonderful series. Highly recommended to ages 13 and up! Forewarning though . . . you’ll want to purchase book two right away.<br />
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Because I liked this book so much, I’m doing a GIVEAWAY!<br />
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(NEW UPDATE) <b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Share about this giveaway with your friends and family. If we make it to 75 entries then “the author” will give a complete signed set of the <u>Wanderers of Time</u> series to the top winner, and I will give a signed copy of book one to winner two. </span></b><b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Please share your link on where you shared, such as facebook, Pinterest, your blog, a comment on another blog/website, etc . . . </span></b></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbM7LBqyK9RgtRUEMmBpTtVWf45EV5QfLNwr0c_GiTOHqn7yURTQp5-lMJDhAg16piCxi74C2m9v4MlwKO80nwgMjwFdtpbIzFz-ghz3EvTbTnH-16FpUL6AtLqkc6lkZpW42zz-MzzA/s1600/mysterious_stranger_by_estruda-d4ylf35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbM7LBqyK9RgtRUEMmBpTtVWf45EV5QfLNwr0c_GiTOHqn7yURTQp5-lMJDhAg16piCxi74C2m9v4MlwKO80nwgMjwFdtpbIzFz-ghz3EvTbTnH-16FpUL6AtLqkc6lkZpW42zz-MzzA/s1600/mysterious_stranger_by_estruda-d4ylf35.jpg" height="320" width="267" /></a></div>
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You can purchase Servants and Thieves </div>
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at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Servants-Thieves-Wanderers-Time-Book/dp/1466320001/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1413082276&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Amazon Paperback</b></span></a></div>
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or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Servants-Thieves-Wanderers-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B005S8LIMI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1413082276" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Amazon Kindle</b></span></a></div>
R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-84516199752465814562014-09-13T23:38:00.000-07:002014-11-21T15:09:08.129-08:00Unbound by J. B. Simmons and GIVEAWAY . . . <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09gapZhbp-XiKuUrqIecMzan4v8oHcEXkTKbsbj4e9MYmfa-wAhr6yiWmWAYRpl445bgTOOoDiY4Pz_zVDFG9UqjW3HOIXaxEKerC8lNDaoq6PP9WSQ3QJKNNXuSXq8oAKBPz-xgnAZA/s1600/Unbound_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09gapZhbp-XiKuUrqIecMzan4v8oHcEXkTKbsbj4e9MYmfa-wAhr6yiWmWAYRpl445bgTOOoDiY4Pz_zVDFG9UqjW3HOIXaxEKerC8lNDaoq6PP9WSQ3QJKNNXuSXq8oAKBPz-xgnAZA/s1600/Unbound_COVER.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a><b style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i></i></b><br />
<b>About the book:</b><br />
<b>Author:</b> J. B. Simmons<br />
<b>Book:</b> The Omega Trilogy (Book One)<br />
<b>Genre:</b> Hybrid fantasy/sci-fi/End-times/Thriller/Christian.<br />
<b>Pages:</b> 298<br />
<b>Age range:</b> YA, yet I recommend if for readers sixteen and older. One curse word, which wasn't too bad and it does have romance, but it’s all pretty clean.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">He must be released for a little while.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">But the one who sees doesn’t believe.</span> </b></div>
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Elijah Goldsmith has nightmares he needs to ignore. Why would a rich kid from Manhattan dream three straight nights about a dragon and the destruction of St. Peter’s Basilica? He’s never even been to Rome.<br />
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It’s bad timing, too. He’s graduating soon and applying to be a spy in the International Security Agency. That’s where he meets Naomi. She’s the kind of girl who makes boys like Elijah want to share their secrets. Were they brought together to learn what his secrets mean? There’s more to their sparks than they think.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">This is 2066, the year the world ends.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><b>About the Author:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">J.B. Simmons writes thrillers with an apocalyptic twist, and political philosophy clothed in fantasy. His latest novel, Unbound, tells the story of a rich kid from Manhattan with nightmares of a dragon and the world ending in 2066. In his Gloaming books, J.B. carries the torch of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis into an underground city with an exiled prince.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">J.B. lives outside Washington, DC, with his wife, two toddlers, and an intriguing day job. He wakes early, runs a lot, and fuels it all with coffee or leftover juice boxes. He'd love to hear from you:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Via email: jbsimmons.light@gmail.com</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">On the web: <a href="http://jbsimmons.com/"><span style="color: red;">jbsimmons.com</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">On Twitter: @jbsimmonslight</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">On Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/JBSimmonsAuthor"><span style="color: red;">facebook.com/JBSimmonsAuthor</span></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">On GoodReads: <a href="http://goodreads.com/jbsimmons"><span style="color: red;">goodreads.com/jbsimmons</span></a></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkiIjjRtghwatX3SM9GDxxDM9_gpFcCJ1KB4WjCNFSuVZPLEGwgVfYzid84-jz3iTntqMLnG5Mc5kmtNsdJsJICtvG7iP7igYYW-QX9T8uOOUwcn61tgTr2okfErv5tSKLEnCOCSiEps/s1600/Eye____by_d_a_r_e_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkiIjjRtghwatX3SM9GDxxDM9_gpFcCJ1KB4WjCNFSuVZPLEGwgVfYzid84-jz3iTntqMLnG5Mc5kmtNsdJsJICtvG7iP7igYYW-QX9T8uOOUwcn61tgTr2okfErv5tSKLEnCOCSiEps/s1600/Eye____by_d_a_r_e_k.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Review:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">J. B. Simmons is truly a very gifted writer. I don’t mean this lightly. I LOVE his style of writing. It pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. . . forewarning.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Unbound is his third published work, book one of a new series, and so far my personal fav from him.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Being aware of the world’s craziness and living in the 21st century where technology has taken over, I enjoyed how Mr. Simmons wrote the future so believable. It’s not like Star Wars, indeed futuristic, but strangely real.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Unbound is told through Elijah’s point of view and he is a fun character. He’s Jewish, but holds no faith, is training to be a spy, and has these crazy dreams that mean something really big. Right away you like him and I enjoyed following him in this adventure. It was great being in his head. All of Mr. Simmons character’s felt real and he did a really nice job on having a variety of people with different backgrounds. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This book is for YA, yet I recommend if for readers sixteen and older. One curse word, which wasn’t too bad and it does have romance, but it’s all pretty clean.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Cons . . . I don't mean this in any disrespect, I really don't, but the only con I can give is the authors view pertaining to certain events in the book of Revelation, such as the 1000 Years of Peace, which I believe has not come to pass. Now I believe in the book of Revelation just with different opinions from what is told sometimes in Unbound. He has some great history and it all flows in nicely, but I want to warn the reader to be a little cautious about some of it. I wasn't too pleased with the ending. With that being said, please look into the book of Revelation for yourself and decide. Remember Unbound is fiction, woven with some truth, so don't take it all as literal. J. B. Simmons is indeed a Christian, I don't doubt that. :-) He has written a great tale and I have enjoyed it, but with all end-time fiction a warning of caution is good to have.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"> I look forward to book two,and I look forward to more books by J. B. Simmons.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Because I liked this book I’m doing a GIVEAWAY and since J.B. Simmons is pretty awesome he is graciously adding two signed paper copies into my giveaway. So THREE lucky winners.</span>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">You can purchase Unbound in Kindle and paperback here</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unbound-The-Omega-Trilogy-Volume/dp/1500286842/ref=tmm_pap_title_0" target="_blank"><span style="color: #bf9000;">http://www.amazon.com/Unbound</span></a></span></b><br />
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R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-7283071578765727582014-08-01T22:04:00.003-07:002014-08-01T22:22:09.048-07:00Cover Reveal for Orphan's Song by Gillian Bronte Adams. . . I'm excited to share this beautiful cover reveal with you. Gillian Bronte Adams is a talented writing friend and I've been eagerly waiting for one of her epic stories to be published. I've been spoiled with her blog for the last few years with her fun short stories, great character in custom challenges and teasers on her <i>Orphan's Song</i>, and <i>Out of Darkness Rising</i> (also being published sometime this year.)<br />
Orphan's Song comes out this fall through Enclave (formally Marcher Lord Press.) But if you would like to support her and a few other great writers (it's so much fun giving a little love to authors) you can receive it and other great stories a little earlier. Truly, check out Enclave's Kickstarter project here . . . <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/enclave/enclave-publishing-fall-releases" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/enclave/enclave-publishing-fall-releases </b></span></a> Such cool prizes!<br />
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Every generation has a Songkeeper – one chosen to keep the memory of the Song alive. And in every generation, there are those who seek to destroy the chosen one.<br />
When Birdie’s song attracts the attention of a notorious Khelari soldier, she is captured and forced into a centuries old conflict plagued with ancient secrets and betrayals. Rescued by traveling peddler Amos McElhenny, Birdie flees the clutches of her enemies, determined to discover the truth behind the Song’s power.<br />
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Ky Huntyr has stolen many a thing in his time as a street-wise thief and senior member of the Underground—a gang of orphans banded together to survive—but he never thought he would be guilty of successfully stealing a priceless treasure from the Khelari and bringing their wrath on his comrades. Haunted by the tragic consequences of his raid, Ky joins Birdie and Amos in hopes of drawing the Khelari after him to keep the Underground safe.<br />
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But war soon threatens all of Leira, and the enemy is closing in. When Amos’ shadowed past threatens to undo them all, Birdie is forced to face the destiny that awaits her as the Songkeeper of Leira.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhOY9OD4L7hoSez1_6MIsTdTI5sovs5Bzzc5OdEx4dRpZCJjr66ygnHGrnFdFN4qgyOuhbwxhy-Xq8arYKdaWTXFgxDeKhEv5_GHdPUaWYQ_9TosdLwpC14pHDkVLLBpCyCctMBuohGk/s1600/Gilliana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhOY9OD4L7hoSez1_6MIsTdTI5sovs5Bzzc5OdEx4dRpZCJjr66ygnHGrnFdFN4qgyOuhbwxhy-Xq8arYKdaWTXFgxDeKhEv5_GHdPUaWYQ_9TosdLwpC14pHDkVLLBpCyCctMBuohGk/s1600/Gilliana.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a><b>Author Bio:</b> Gillian Bronte Adams was born with a pen in her hand, a sword at her side, and a saddle beneath her feet. As a speculative fiction writer from the great state of Texas, she delights in combining epic adventure and fantasy with themes that point to the greatest story of all—or, as she refers to it, writing to the echoes of eternity. During the day, she works as the Equine Director at a Christian youth camp, while at night, she kicks off her boots and spurs and transforms into a novelist. You can find out more at her blog: <a href="http://ofbattlesdragonsandswordsofadamant.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>http://ofbattlesdragonsandswordsofadamant.blogspot.com/</b></span></a><br />
(You know you want to check it out.)<br />
or<br />
facebook page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gillianbronteadams"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>https://www.facebook.com/gillianbronteadams</b></span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;">.</span><br />
("Like" it. You won't regret it!)<br />
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<b>Author: </b>Ashlee Willis<br />
<b>Book: </b> The Word Changers<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Conquest Publishers<br />
<b>Genre: </b>Medieval/Fantasy/Christian.<br />
<b>Pages: </b>328<br />
<b></b><b>Age range:</b> 13 and up.<br />
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Her parents’ marriage is falling apart. Fifteen-year-old Posy feels her life is falling apart with it. Retreating to an old library down the street, she selects a mysterious book in a secluded corner and is magically drawn into its story…<br />
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Posy finds herself in a kingdom ruled by a cruel and manipulative king and queen who have attempted to usurp the role that belongs only to the Author of their story. The princess has fled and the kingdom is teetering toward rebellion. Posy is joined by the Prince Kyran as they fight with the characters of the story against their slavery to the Plot.<br />
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Posy and the prince search beyond the borders of the story for the runaway princess. They visit mysterious places, face horrifying monsters, and fight fierce battles. They make both friends and enemies as their journey leads them into many dangers. But some of the worst dangers, Posy soon finds, lie deep within her own heart.<br />
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Now Posy must find the courage and forgiveness needed to save the story and, most important, heal the heartache she knew in her own world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKT26RlK6G-HLsNzdssHlOzMhtKZTcoELpfJtPJ_F8wqo5L_udnFfLyu44TSU5aiUTOLJ_n8KsO5z0hGDPOG7FdOdQMnAElWxCrMCtRtNs_yivCZBM1QMNKhbaqqTQ5uX1NdLjAfM9_s/s1600/Ashlee+Author+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKT26RlK6G-HLsNzdssHlOzMhtKZTcoELpfJtPJ_F8wqo5L_udnFfLyu44TSU5aiUTOLJ_n8KsO5z0hGDPOG7FdOdQMnAElWxCrMCtRtNs_yivCZBM1QMNKhbaqqTQ5uX1NdLjAfM9_s/s1600/Ashlee+Author+Pic.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><b><span style="color: #38761d;">About the Author:</span></b><br />
Ashlee has a passion for three things: God, family, and books, and is happiest when all three can be enjoyed together. Ashlee graduated from Central Christian College of the Bible with a Bachelor of Science in Christian Education. She divides her time chiefly between homeschooling her young son, reading about fantasy worlds she wishes she could visit, and dreaming up fantasy worlds of her own to write about. She loves taking walks in the woods, drinking tea with friends, and spending time with the ones she loves most. Ashlee lives in the heart of Missouri with her husband, son, and cat, where she is busily at work on her next book, also a fantasy for young adults.<br />
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Find Ashlee on<span style="color: #38761d;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AshleeWillisAuthor" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Facebook</span></a></span>, <a href="https://twitter.com/BookishAshlee" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Twitter</span></a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7849640.Ashlee_Willis" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Goodreads</span></a>, or email her at AshleeW@zoho.com.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">My Review:</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2e_Lbkqxt_qBW2CrVkLS2ty7p7IDypj2wX-h-9OdVtw10ZWCSxAyTWt8M3ygMf6VQBa06p6O4WFmyrn7Xre_YgPmNZ6z8t9oZmbMoow5C7jx1dSSfoM_0vd4LtKU5mbVe8Kta9iiOSE/s1600/Owl6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2e_Lbkqxt_qBW2CrVkLS2ty7p7IDypj2wX-h-9OdVtw10ZWCSxAyTWt8M3ygMf6VQBa06p6O4WFmyrn7Xre_YgPmNZ6z8t9oZmbMoow5C7jx1dSSfoM_0vd4LtKU5mbVe8Kta9iiOSE/s1600/Owl6.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>Ashlee Willis kindly asked me if I would review her fantasy debut, The Word Changers. Reading the short synopsis instantly made me say, <i>yes!</i><br />
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Her characters were real feeling, even her fantasy creatures and the wonderful owls. Oh, I can't look at owls the same. I quickly bonded with her main characters Posy and Kyran. I realize, even though I'm a girl, that main female characters are hard to write well and readers at times don't enjoy them as much as a main male character. I honestly liked Posy and enjoyed following her on this adventure. At times she felt older than fifteen, but understandably for what she was going through.<br />
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I especially loved the sibling relationship between characters. Anyone with a sibling will enjoy it too.<br />
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The coverart is beautiful and fits the book very well. The inside interior is just as lovely and made it even more enjoyable to read.<br />
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The Word Changers has a deep and moving message that was done with great care. So much of our youth struggle with the things Posy and Kyran went through. Divorce and bad relationships with parents is sadly so thick in our Christian families and the world. I highly recommend this tale to any young adult, especially those with struggling families. And to those who don't have struggling families, you'll still enjoy this tale.<br />
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The ending was a little bittersweet but well done. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for more tales by Ashlee Willis.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">(I received a paperback copy of The Word Changers from the author; however, it does not influence my review. The opinions in my review are entirely my own. Thank you!)</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">Giveaway...</span> PLEASE know that I have ONE paperback copy along with an owl key-chain for the winner. This Giveaway is open to everyone. Enter in below. If Rafflecopter won't let you enter, let me know in your comment and I'll personally enter you in.<br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea111/" id="rc-ce2ea111" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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Purchase<b> THE WORD CHANGERS</b> now on </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Word-Changers-Ashlee-Willis/dp/0990397912/ref=la_B00KC96M6K_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403568236&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Amazon</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-word-changers-ashlee-willis/1119499297?ean=2940149295630" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Barnes and Noble</span></a></div>
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or <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/438561" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">Smashwords</span></a>.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Please be sure to check out the author's website everyday this week and enter her very special GIVEAWAY ...</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><b><a href="http://ashleewillisauthor.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">http://ashleewillisauthor.wordpress.com/</span></a><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span id="goog_48424259"></span><span id="goog_48424260"></span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/"></a></span></b></span></div>
<br />R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-59662451090476300782014-02-28T21:45:00.001-08:002014-03-01T00:50:28.803-08:00Light in the Gloaming by J. B. Simmons and GIVEAWAY... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is the last GIVEAWAY for February... I know it's late in the day, but I still technically made it.<br />
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What a great month of beautiful stories. I hope I've talked you into buying some or adding them to your "<i>to read list"</i>. And to those that have won, I hope you enjoy them.<br />
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I'm really excited to share today's book with you all. I saved it for last because it's my biggest giveaway for this month. THREE blessed winners thanks to the author Mr.Simmons for giving two e-book copies, with my paperback copy. So please let others know and earn 5 extra entries (you can do that once a day). :-)<br />
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This tale is a special one to say the least! Check it out and don't miss out...<br />
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<b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">About the book:</span></b><br />
<b>Author: </b>J. B. Simmons<br />
<b>Book: </b>Light in the Gloaming<b> (Book One)</b><br />
<b>Publisher: </b>CreateSpace (J. B. Simmons)<br />
<b>Genre: </b>Medieval/Epic Fantasy/Christian.<br />
<b>Pages: </b>268<br />
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<b>Age range:</b> I say MATURE readers. 16+ The reading is detailed and deep, yet wonderful. There are some mature themes in it. Graphic battles scenes, especially in the Gloaming and Prince Tryst is brutal. I don't remember any bad words, but there are some horrible things mentioned.<br />
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<i>“The Gloaming was worse than the grave…”</i></div>
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Or so Tryst believed when he banished the former prince to this secret and brutal exile. Now Tryst sits on the throne of Valemidas. He feasts with nobles and prepares an army to conquer the world.<br />
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But things are never as stable as they seem. Old loyalties remain. Tryst’s half-sister wants vengeance for the disappeared prince she loved. What happens if a man survives a place worse than the grave?<br />
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Alliances will crumble, battles will rage, and souls will transform in the Gloaming.<br />
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J.B. Simmons lives outside Washington, DC, with his wife, two kids, and an intriguing day job. He likes to drink coffee and run marathons, both of which help when chasing around his three-year-old boy. While he carries forward the torch lit by heroes like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, he also finds inspiration in history's great books and thinkers, from Plato to Locke and Machiavelli to Nietzsche. J.B.'s main characters champion these competing philosophies and bring them to battle.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">My Review</span></b><br />
J.B. Simmons kindly wrote to me in December and asked if I would like to review his book. I LOVE offers like this, but I always make sure it's a book that holds value, and Light in the Gloaming sounded special, so I accepted and I'm so glad I did.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlctcx9f_rNrLCYARVqTiVsK7CyJWNgTGrbRCySdOB-6HoH09kJp2oEWmP2SofTDs1Fum9Q4MGvUmziIy77StWEzJhK6193oHLA0l4zTffJnSwTn2N-d-oiU48F9JmL-y-ZK692EhggU/s1600/NW2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlctcx9f_rNrLCYARVqTiVsK7CyJWNgTGrbRCySdOB-6HoH09kJp2oEWmP2SofTDs1Fum9Q4MGvUmziIy77StWEzJhK6193oHLA0l4zTffJnSwTn2N-d-oiU48F9JmL-y-ZK692EhggU/s1600/NW2.jpg" height="400" width="287" /></a><br />
The very first page pulls you in and won't easily let you go. It usually takes me a few chapters to get into a book, but Light in the Gloaming had me hooked from the start.<br />
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Light in the Gloaming has a political story between kingdoms and people like Game of Thrones, but without all the garbage it holds. I'm sorry to you GOT fans, but that series does hold a lot of garbage. Light in the Gloaming holds hope and a beautiful message that you will appreciate! It's unique and has some lovely twist and turns, with characters you won't easily forget, even the villain.<br />
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I really loved how Mr. Simmons wrote his book. I haven't read a tale with this kind of split writing before. I'm not a huge fan of first person writing, but Mr. Simmons did something in my opinion unique. His two main characters Prince Tryst, and Prince Andor, where told in first person where the rest of the book was told in third. It made you get deeper into the story and the characters. Very well done!<br />
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The only negative thing I can say is that I wish it was slightly a larger book( I'm excited for book two that is being released very soon). I only say that I wish it was longer because I really enjoyed it and felt the story was epic enough to be a bigger novel. Mr Simmons writing is well done and his story flows well, nothing really lacks, I just wanted more.<br />
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Sadly I don't think I would have ever ran into this tale if Mr. Simmons didn't kindly write to me and gave me such a great offer. There are so many wonderful tales out there by talented writers just waiting to be read. I HIGHLY recommend this tale to anyone except children. It's a tale that I wouldn't pass up and one that will stay in my head for a long time. I greatly look forward to book two and hopefully other tales from J. B. Simmons.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">(I received a paperback copy of Light in the Gloaming from the author; however, it does not influence my review. The opinions in my review are entirely my own. Thank you!)</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbh57crsCtmeqhaskhrlsOM2zJ8R6upWHO9k_1Ft0SHt3AuIFquC8iyA0GO4_Efs4bosqWMcnR_RCtBNRpv-fWLOqzcfjumgjsjM3N05Vll6uwRY9oZ8cIgRiEzGZislkyo2oI0V80z0c/s1600/btg+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbh57crsCtmeqhaskhrlsOM2zJ8R6upWHO9k_1Ft0SHt3AuIFquC8iyA0GO4_Efs4bosqWMcnR_RCtBNRpv-fWLOqzcfjumgjsjM3N05Vll6uwRY9oZ8cIgRiEzGZislkyo2oI0V80z0c/s1600/btg+cover.jpg" height="400" width="276" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Book Two (Isn't the cover-art beautiful!?!)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(coming March 2014.)</span><br />
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<b><i>“I could still see traces of the Gloaming in him…”</i></b><br />
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Another fallen prince starves and unravels in the Gloaming. An agreement binds his sister to a nobleman and a spy who will try to break him free. No one knows the true stakes of their plotting. No one knows the history of the Gloaming and the power it holds. The restored prince strives to uncover the truth, but an eminent threat consumes his attention.<br />
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A foreign nation, believing in the divinity of their boy-king, sails to conquer Valemidas. As the foreign forces bear down, other forces will rise to meet them. The strength of love, the faith of an old priest, and the Gloaming of princes will each fracture and forge anew until a victor is declared between darkness and light.<br />
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-size: large;"><b>Giveaway</b></span>... PLEASE know that I have ONE paperback copy and TWO e-books copies, so there will be THREE winners total. This Giveaway is open to everyone. Enter in below. If Rafflecopter won't let you enter, let me know in your comment and I'll personally enter you in.<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea110/" id="rc-ce2ea110" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-size: large;">You can purchase Light in the Gloaming at...</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Light-Gloaming-J-B-Simmons/dp/1492263176/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1393482643&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Amazon Paperback</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Light-Gloaming-Book-One-ebook/dp/B00E1W6E1C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393482643&sr=8-1&keywords=Light+in+the+Gloaming" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Amazon Kindle</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-in-the-gloaming-jb-simmons/1117741214?ean=9781492263173" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Barnes and Noble</span></b></a></div>
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-size: large;">And don't forget to check out...</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.jbsimmons.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">J. B. Simmons Website ( he often shares some great writing tips)</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/JB-Simmons/575791089147638" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">J. B. Simmons Facebook Fan Page</span></b></a></div>
R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-67364824656996451442014-02-22T21:58:00.002-08:002014-02-22T22:28:36.996-08:00The Victor by Marlayne Giron and GIVEAWAY...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JAh2Wh11FVuUYMuYg4KGpxXcb1el2ZVRrdhWLhHR3atSUL5WaO_-bYz72u-M-XoxQ_t4f_QAV4QDxxXGUO4aLZ_UaX2sQIkm-4bo_IgdzFbSISJq3BMbZeF1v32tNJG-YbBK7s58RJU/s1600/The+Victor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JAh2Wh11FVuUYMuYg4KGpxXcb1el2ZVRrdhWLhHR3atSUL5WaO_-bYz72u-M-XoxQ_t4f_QAV4QDxxXGUO4aLZ_UaX2sQIkm-4bo_IgdzFbSISJq3BMbZeF1v32tNJG-YbBK7s58RJU/s1600/The+Victor.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a><b><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">About the book</span></b><br />
<b>Author</b>: Marlayne Giron<br />
<b>Book</b>: The Victor<br />
<b>Publisher</b>: Tate Publishing & Enterprises, L.L.C.<br />
<b>Genre</b>: Medieval/Fantasy/Christian<br />
<b>Pages</b>: 276<br />
<b>Age range</b>: Barnes and Noble and Amazon says 9 - 12 Years. I say MATURE readers only 16+<br />
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<i><b>A benevolent King;</b></i><br />
<i><b>...his sword of power;</b></i><br />
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<i><b>...a ruthless traitor bent on revenge;</b></i><br />
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<i><b>...and the faithful son who stands in his way with the woman destined to share his throne.</b></i><br />
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Who shall emerge as the victor in this epic struggle between good and evil to govern the lives of hapless men?<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">My Review:</span></b></div>
I found out about the Victor years ago and instantly wanted a copy. Medieval fantasy… my favorite! It’s a book that I don’t regret buying, or giving away to others. It’s a tale I think many would really enjoy and one that more people I believe, need to know about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsjrxp3yXeQWqAaJQA48n0RbDUB-4Yr6M5-3Ca2uf-Yx7G3aOZM4cTWn_io42xIA6HJ8qhC_iy5RCMZlAj1Qe6fTtykaZ6qo5Ii4DN1Gc71Pf3S2tvCF4iuE6Q5zE-Pdfwycbwp1CMJo/s1600/tv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsjrxp3yXeQWqAaJQA48n0RbDUB-4Yr6M5-3Ca2uf-Yx7G3aOZM4cTWn_io42xIA6HJ8qhC_iy5RCMZlAj1Qe6fTtykaZ6qo5Ii4DN1Gc71Pf3S2tvCF4iuE6Q5zE-Pdfwycbwp1CMJo/s1600/tv2.jpg" height="400" width="252" /></a><br />
Yet, this is a tale that I recommend for mature readers only. This doesn't mean the book is bad; it just has mature topics in it that wouldn't be right for a younger reader. Graphic battle scenes, tragic graphic death scenes, mentions of alcohol, and one bad word (d*mn) used from what I can remember twice in it. I don’t normally like graphic scenes or bad language, but this tale wouldn't be the same if it didn't have it (perhaps the cursing could have been cut out ;-) )<br />
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The story theme is built on tragedy and the spiritual theme that is beautifully woven within will make you cry and touch your heart.<br />
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Marlayne Giron has written a tale that cannot be easily forgotten. There are very few tales that really touch me and The Victor is one of them. The Victor is one you’ll think about long after you’re done reading it.<br />
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I HIGHLY recommend The Victor but only to mature readers.<br />
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Thank you Marlayne for sending me a signed copy… I will cherish it forever!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">Giveaway</span></b>... PLEASE know that this is a paperback giveaway only and open to everyone. Enter in below.<br />
<a id="rc-ce2ea19" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea19/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
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<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: #cfe2f3;">You can purchase The Victor at...</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Victor-Marlayne-Giron/dp/1607991845/ref=tmm_pap_title_0" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Amazon Paperback </span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Victor-Marlayne-Giron-ebook/dp/B005UGT8SE/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Amazon Kindle</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-victor-marlayne-giron/1015790468?ean=9781607991847#product-commentaries-1" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Barnes and Noble</span></b></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1YX0t05t6KlLgkjZfADCfcqHu_90Z9fEsIbavrPKDo3xUJlaf288f23UUJFVSPfn3yJfhaj-HTQ1DqnwDmgVPDjT8F3XdMKMtSN0B8T4uHJrN3LJq2nbCRolrb7P2wl7vvC2NPzrySg/s1600/TV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1YX0t05t6KlLgkjZfADCfcqHu_90Z9fEsIbavrPKDo3xUJlaf288f23UUJFVSPfn3yJfhaj-HTQ1DqnwDmgVPDjT8F3XdMKMtSN0B8T4uHJrN3LJq2nbCRolrb7P2wl7vvC2NPzrySg/s1600/TV.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<br /></div>R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-70323110886500697562014-02-15T22:06:00.001-08:002014-02-15T22:29:01.014-08:00Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard and GIVEAWAY...Okay, this month I'm going to do reviews and giveaways EVERY Saturday and the last Friday of this month. I wanted to do this in January as some of you might recall, but my blog gave me constant issues (which are now fixed) and I got an extra day a week at work (which added up to be a lot, but I'm grateful for it). So, this month is going to be packed full of giveaways on some epic fiction books that you might never heard of.<br />
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Today's book is a special one and one if you haven't read or heard of, then you are surely missing out on an epic tale!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlPgGOfIpGmsG64cBfrxuN-DBDNPEH_acG-VWXkNwhHBpSsZ2o_wDmqmyN-bQPpC9n1rn2HPK7_bo6lhQVfQpQqNSe1Dp-tD_hI8bs3D386T6Ygko7NLTEEoejZyM_C_KLYSrupId3dk/s1600/MS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAlPgGOfIpGmsG64cBfrxuN-DBDNPEH_acG-VWXkNwhHBpSsZ2o_wDmqmyN-bQPpC9n1rn2HPK7_bo6lhQVfQpQqNSe1Dp-tD_hI8bs3D386T6Ygko7NLTEEoejZyM_C_KLYSrupId3dk/s1600/MS.jpg" height="400" width="270" /></a><b><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">About the book:</span></b><br />
Author: Robert Treskillard<b></b><br />
Series: The Merlin Spiral<br />
Book Two: Merlin's Shadow<br />
Pages:448 pages<br />
Publisher: Zondervan<br />
Genre: Fantasy/ YA/ Christian<br />
Age Range: 14+<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Betrayal. </span></b></div>
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After destroying the sinister Druid Stone and freeing his people from its dark control, Merlin finds himself to<br />
be a royal advisor without a king. Along with his friend Garth and Natalenya, his betrothed, Merlin treks north with the orphaned Arthur in hopes of keeping the young ruler safe from soldiers misled by their turncoat captain. Relentlessly pursued by his nemesis Vortigern, Merlin and his band make for the fortress of Dintaga.<br />
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But dangers multiply when Merlin realizes that Vortigern is not his only enemy. Even his own sister appears bent on Merlin's destruction. As the threat on all their lives increases, Merlin discovers their only hope is sailing to the lands of eternal darkness and once again cleansing the world from an ancient and powerful evil.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_Z2WiZ443fL3xfU9alxwf490mJNtN27gHVcBo2GwzH4m1ahecJZVl569Jg_eg3MRmSBgX9_xZgWhWvLKKHB2PfZXbCBtchHMLy67uX0gWX7Nnh07ipxiMtV0yKrsGnZZe-O5mAW5rb8/s1600/MS1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_Z2WiZ443fL3xfU9alxwf490mJNtN27gHVcBo2GwzH4m1ahecJZVl569Jg_eg3MRmSBgX9_xZgWhWvLKKHB2PfZXbCBtchHMLy67uX0gWX7Nnh07ipxiMtV0yKrsGnZZe-O5mAW5rb8/s1600/MS1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">My Review:</span></b><br />
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I must say that Mr. Treskillard did another beautiful job. I am not a Arthurian fan... not one bit, but I sure have enjoyed Mr. Treskillard epic tale on this story that has been done so many times. I root for this Merlin and Arthur.<br />
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"Merlin's Shadow" continues off where book one "Merlin's Blade" ended. I highly recommend reading book one first, but book two has a lovely recap for those who haven't read book one and to help those who have forget since than.<br />
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I personally enjoyed book one more, yet was blessed by this tale just as much. Mr. Treskillard writing flows beautifully and his characters are those you can relate to and love.<br />
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Mr Treskillard's version of Merlin goes down as one of my all time favorite characters I have ever read... even though he disappointed me a little at times in Merlin's Shadow. ;-) Poor Natalenya!<br />
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I greatly look forward to book three and will be sweetly sad when this series is completed.<br />
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(I received an ARC of Merlin's Shadow from the publisher and the author; however, it does not influence my review. The opinions in my review are entirely my own.THANK YOU Mr. Treskillard.and Zondervan for an ARC of Merlin's Shadow.)<br />
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Giveaway... PLEASE know that this is a paperback giveaway only and open to everyone. Enter in below.<br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea17/" id="rc-ce2ea17" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v3X7N6inAzTJtU_dTRezJLOwp6v09s0ZOGfzih2HiQ9SXBKCysqyDgD5V30XRVghHUwyssSlpCcIznxy_IsTzGCUCIKq9G7wtpu9HFzPbkJ8e1T2kjRmgwaymWkNKxd8XJMzNVA_OUM/s1600/Paradox4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2v3X7N6inAzTJtU_dTRezJLOwp6v09s0ZOGfzih2HiQ9SXBKCysqyDgD5V30XRVghHUwyssSlpCcIznxy_IsTzGCUCIKq9G7wtpu9HFzPbkJ8e1T2kjRmgwaymWkNKxd8XJMzNVA_OUM/s1600/Paradox4.png" height="320" width="221" /></a><br />
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You can purchase Merlin's Shadow on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310735084/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0Y94F4Q5DXSAQQ3GHR73&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span id="goog_26311390"></span>Amazon!</span></b><span id="goog_26311391"></span></a><br />
<br />
You can buy Merlin's Shadow on <b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/merlins-shadow-robert-treskillard/1114852629?ean=9780310735083" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Barnes & Noble!</span></a></b><br />
<br />
You can find out more about<span style="color: #ffd966;"> <a href="http://www.epictales.org/blog/robertblog.php" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robert Treskillard</span></b></a></span><br />
<br />
You can find out more about<br />
<b><u><span style="color: #ffd966;"> <a href="http://www.kingarthur.org.uk/feastinghall/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Merlin's Spiral Seris and enter the EPIC contest</span></a></span></u></b><br />
<br />
Became a fan of him<br />
and Merlin's Spiral on<span style="color: #ffd966;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EpicTales.org" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Facebook</span></b></a></span>R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-48239956574354843502014-02-08T15:48:00.004-08:002014-02-08T16:10:57.710-08:00Paradox by Brian McBride and GIVEAWAY....Okay, this month I'm going to do reviews and giveaways EVERY Saturday and the last Friday of this month. I wanted to do this in January as some of you might recall, but my blog gave me constant issues (which are now fixed) and I got an extra day a week at work (which added up to be a lot, but I'm grateful for it). So, this month is going to be packed full of giveaways on some epic fiction books that you might never heard of.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXJXFeV24XdBxA0MI5OC-Rfzlcn_tq5YGFMSm0Ye09_WLSoxspFn2Un7o-n6MafrosIqBNsP_IJR9rsjfava6lvJPCotTb1FH_g8wq6tAKrantJwTENkTLhTuLhYcNRv3k0m98T46mAc/s1600/Paradox.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXJXFeV24XdBxA0MI5OC-Rfzlcn_tq5YGFMSm0Ye09_WLSoxspFn2Un7o-n6MafrosIqBNsP_IJR9rsjfava6lvJPCotTb1FH_g8wq6tAKrantJwTENkTLhTuLhYcNRv3k0m98T46mAc/s1600/Paradox.png" height="400" width="266" /></a>Today's giveaway is on a book that I should have written a review on around Christmas, but never got around to it. I consider Brian to be a friend and he asked for reviews on his debut novel Paradox around Christmas, but I didn't have time to help out. Today I do and I think it's great timing. ;-) Take a look and enjoy...<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">About the book:</span></b><br />
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<b>Four troubled teens, two worlds, one God, one goal: to defeat the Darkness before it’s too late.</b><br />
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When David, his twin sister Alicia and their two best friends, Jake and Hannah stumble through a portal and into another world, Paragon, they discover that they are not who they thought they were… they are descendants of an ancient race known as Starcrafters, and they've been endowed with God-given abilities – impossible abilities.<br />
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They train and learn to harness their abilities. Now, they are ready to take on the Dark Prince.<br />
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Their attack on the prince is interrupted when they are taken by a group known as the Renegades who are after universal domination by means of an artifact known as the Paradox Stone.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrUB2Q10-MB6ndev0ZOdgVXb038x64rTDxtc1YfxdHB7f77XfPeGFbx7zYtHAZb4xCbC5t3Bd6ZpfeSSKyWWMSeghrBnfkqsx3lO5y4ln6xZvdY0GEncpBUNhB_a92HAWT71filcLkvc/s1600/Paradox5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrUB2Q10-MB6ndev0ZOdgVXb038x64rTDxtc1YfxdHB7f77XfPeGFbx7zYtHAZb4xCbC5t3Bd6ZpfeSSKyWWMSeghrBnfkqsx3lO5y4ln6xZvdY0GEncpBUNhB_a92HAWT71filcLkvc/s1600/Paradox5.png" height="320" width="213" /></a>They must escape the Renegades, retrieve the stone, and defeat the Darkness; all while learning to trust one another and work as a team, and to put their faith in the one true God.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">About the author:</span></b><br />
Brian McBride, seventeen-year-old native to Oregon, though recently moved to California, is a passionate writer, and an avid reader. Paradox is his first book in a series of high fantasy novels, The Starcrafters' Saga. When he's not reading or writing, he spends his time hanging out with friends and family, and playing the piano, drums, and the bass guitar. He runs a Christian book blog, Shattering the Darkness, and loves finding new teenage authors like himself.<br />
Brian's writing centers around fantastic thrills, intriguing adventure, and mysterious twists, and ultimately, the destiny that belongs to each and every person on planet Earth.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">My Review:</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigr-ObFFlynJQhuBIMCtdoSd4SLzMpigJMucuRz_i6fOBibCOxCjvT3fKPwoM1HGnf3WyGoFSWF_-qXBJYbUKFAuvFHZOPZKaPfW1tvN5oScbIPR0VxW1hEMZcu69_KyBaQzlNqcn6aww/s1600/Paradox3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigr-ObFFlynJQhuBIMCtdoSd4SLzMpigJMucuRz_i6fOBibCOxCjvT3fKPwoM1HGnf3WyGoFSWF_-qXBJYbUKFAuvFHZOPZKaPfW1tvN5oScbIPR0VxW1hEMZcu69_KyBaQzlNqcn6aww/s1600/Paradox3.png" /></a>If you haven't heard of the Starcrafter's series or Brian McBride, than you're missing out. Honestly take some time to look into his writing. You'll be sure to become a fan.<br />
I've followed Brian's blog for years and when I saw that he was coming out with his long awaited book Paradox, I just had to get it.<br />
Brian is young, yet his writing is well thought out and holds a nice style. I'm always impressed by teen writers. There were a few times I wish he would have added a little more information and not skip ahead, but for the most part his story flowed well and was an enjoyable read. Brian is a great villain writer!<br />
I think a lot of people could relate to his characters David, Hannah, Alicia, and Jake. I really liked the message he wove into it and can tell he was passionate to share. This was indeed a Christian fantasy and intended more for teens, yet I in my twenties enjoyed it.<br />
I look forward to book two and more tales from Brain McBride in the future. Well done, my friend!<br />
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Giveaway... PLEASE know that this is a paperback giveaway only and open to everyone. Enter in below.<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea14/" id="rc-ce2ea14" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDzX3aIzofCnP0B9YOs3EsGdx-l0fGRSVFbO1r1TF2WLlM05hzbPj7OZYhAIkbVqyYebCSoynuvWSZiPiyez5scm7h4GTMUQfCCvYba2mjO4AoYoFJ56u2FD-m4UdadWEqQ_9pV_I7Go/s1600/Paradox1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDzX3aIzofCnP0B9YOs3EsGdx-l0fGRSVFbO1r1TF2WLlM05hzbPj7OZYhAIkbVqyYebCSoynuvWSZiPiyez5scm7h4GTMUQfCCvYba2mjO4AoYoFJ56u2FD-m4UdadWEqQ_9pV_I7Go/s1600/Paradox1.png" height="320" width="213" /></a><br />
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You can purchase Paradox on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Starcrafters-Saga-Brian-McBride/dp/143279843X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379127878&sr=1-1&keywords=paradox+brian+mcbride" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Amazon!</b></span></a><br />
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You can buy Paradox on <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paradox-brian-mcbride/1115862319?ean=9781432798437" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><b>Barnes & Noble!</b></span></a><br />
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You can find out more about <b><a href="http://www.shatteringthedarkness.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Brian McBride</span></a></b><br />
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Became a fan of him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorbrianmcbride" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Facebook</span></b></a><br />
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<br />R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-54213716757359030982014-02-01T17:36:00.000-08:002014-02-01T17:46:27.014-08:00SmorgaSword and Giveaway...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, this month I'm going to do reviews and giveaways EVERY Saturday and the last Friday of this month. I wanted to do this in January as some of you might recall, but my blog gave me constant issues (which are now fixed) and I got an extra day a week at work (which added up to be a lot, but I'm grateful for it). So, this month is going to be packed full of giveaways on some epic fiction books that you might never heard of.<br />
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First up is an epic (yes, I love that word) collection of stories by a talented writer that deserves more attention. I reviewed this book almost exactly a year ago and I noticed no else has since on Amazon.<br />
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Now Philip is a friend of mine, so I might be a little bias, but I honestly think others will truly enjoy this book of tales if they were more aware of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTRsKcKmICbwHU7c7xGpkZn9ab5raWgl-KZ_iNYmIjTkheJdumVmAmCEbQsJ3aklAEDC8LUhANxSGuQiMkwkJFjOaYk96B-LwlZY05ZIGxpw2E6hsr7p6GSn2FG4Z_P98R-EMpkpNmp0/s1600/PN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTRsKcKmICbwHU7c7xGpkZn9ab5raWgl-KZ_iNYmIjTkheJdumVmAmCEbQsJ3aklAEDC8LUhANxSGuQiMkwkJFjOaYk96B-LwlZY05ZIGxpw2E6hsr7p6GSn2FG4Z_P98R-EMpkpNmp0/s1600/PN.jpg" height="400" width="248" /></a><b>About the book:</b><br />
SmorgaSword is a story buffet, a selection of twelve unique short stories. Take a wild ride into the Great Red Spot of Jupiter, survive a post-Apocalyptic urban battle, follow the adventures of a superhero from another universe, catch the bad guys with the unlikeliest of detectives, explore strange and distant futures, and find fairytale happy endings along the way.<br />
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--The Menu--<br />
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-The Prison-<br />
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In a future utopia where science is everything, a young technician commits the unthinkable crime of irretrievably destroying data, and he is sentenced to an unusual punishment.<br />
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-The Tyrant-<br />
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A mind's eye view of the rapid rise and fall of a dictator.<br />
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-Morning Glory-<br />
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An orphan girl befriends a strange child who is more than he seems.<br />
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-Jump!-<br />
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A girl in another universe jumps to ours, and finds she is invincible. But all she wants is to jump back to her own world.<br />
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-Bull Elephant-<br />
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After an apocalyptic disaster, the survivors of an urban gang threaten the lives of farmers eking out a living in the debris of civilization.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga5f2RoEMAHfXxjzfukzkb3sqjddd2sbcVWEbR-fZ0AeTRMFri5ncx8O83xxs5Il2xwZmW3lPS54tcEkmG2RDqsKr7AKemI5TBrxmRehq0EV7Eb2ei6YM20_XsWmFjcZmZOzNMfCLkxo/s1600/sword-of-the-spirit-jeff-haynie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga5f2RoEMAHfXxjzfukzkb3sqjddd2sbcVWEbR-fZ0AeTRMFri5ncx8O83xxs5Il2xwZmW3lPS54tcEkmG2RDqsKr7AKemI5TBrxmRehq0EV7Eb2ei6YM20_XsWmFjcZmZOzNMfCLkxo/s1600/sword-of-the-spirit-jeff-haynie.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></a>-Venus Flytrap-<br />
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A special young lady leads the FBI on a not-so-merry chase to find a mysterious informant who seems to know everything.<br />
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-The New Outside-<br />
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A boy and girl try to escape from an artificial world where plants and animals are unknown.<br />
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-The Monster of Jupiter-<br />
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Two scientists get a closer look than planned at the Great Red Spot.<br />
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-Area X-<br />
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A conspiracy theorist tracks down a secret government facility, only to find something he wasn't expecting.<br />
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-Daughter of Eagles-<br />
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A wise woman gives a young princess a magic gift.<br />
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-The Empty Room-<br />
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A housemaid in nineteenth-century England finds a haunted room, which can be wonder or terror to those who go there.<br />
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-The Awakening of Trevor Still-<br />
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The chef's favorite. A modern fairy tale, a romance with a twist.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga5f2RoEMAHfXxjzfukzkb3sqjddd2sbcVWEbR-fZ0AeTRMFri5ncx8O83xxs5Il2xwZmW3lPS54tcEkmG2RDqsKr7AKemI5TBrxmRehq0EV7Eb2ei6YM20_XsWmFjcZmZOzNMfCLkxo/s1600/sword-of-the-spirit-jeff-haynie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga5f2RoEMAHfXxjzfukzkb3sqjddd2sbcVWEbR-fZ0AeTRMFri5ncx8O83xxs5Il2xwZmW3lPS54tcEkmG2RDqsKr7AKemI5TBrxmRehq0EV7Eb2ei6YM20_XsWmFjcZmZOzNMfCLkxo/s1600/sword-of-the-spirit-jeff-haynie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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<b>My Review:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqgpR9qWmUhtgTZ3Eqpebtg61yKoiu-jnXRyZGhmgmSu79lVfWc53Z47yXZRHG37zP70pvyjcq1z2HfDZbQQdanX3R_yHziRrZ_sq0tc7-vImYhH_3jMsf0_ZsS55Kqy_8YZ_A2nfC-E/s1600/woman-eagle_real_life_ocean_fantasy_clouds_hd-wallpaper-500442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqgpR9qWmUhtgTZ3Eqpebtg61yKoiu-jnXRyZGhmgmSu79lVfWc53Z47yXZRHG37zP70pvyjcq1z2HfDZbQQdanX3R_yHziRrZ_sq0tc7-vImYhH_3jMsf0_ZsS55Kqy_8YZ_A2nfC-E/s1600/woman-eagle_real_life_ocean_fantasy_clouds_hd-wallpaper-500442.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
SmorgaSword... is that witty or what! Mr. Nelson has written a very lovely book of tales. There is something for everyone in this buffet of stories and all will bless you. Many of his stories within SmorgaSword hold a deep value within them and I had to smile over some of them. I loved Bull Elephant and Daughter of Eagles! Beautifully written.<br />
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I'm not much of an e-book fan yet. I just love the physical copies and all the details you get on them. Pretty pages and full cover art. This e-book is one of the nicest put together ones I have seen. It was broken up in four sections like a dinner. Pretty brilliant Mr. Nelson! It had a few "dinner" like illustrations above some of the chapter headers... I haven't seen that in too many e-books. I loved the way it was laid out and can tell it was greatly thought out.<br />
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I greatly recommend SmorgaSword for anyone that likes a good adventure with a heart! I look forward to more tales from Mr. Nelson in the near future.<br />
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Giveaway... PLEASE know that this is an eBook giveaway only. It's not available in paperback... yet. Enter in below.<br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea13/" id="rc-ce2ea13" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
To purchase SmorgaSword by Philip Nelson go to<a href="http://www.amazon.com/SmorgaSword-Philip-Nelson-ebook/dp/B007V8609E/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_imgnr_1" target="_blank"> <b><span style="color: #f1c232;">http://www.amazon.com/SmorgaSword-Philip-Nelson</span></b></a><br />
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To find out more about the author check out his blog at <a href="http://thetowerperilous.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">http://thetowerperilous.blogspot.com/</span></b></a>R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-56912640018939704902014-01-08T19:46:00.001-08:002014-01-08T23:17:17.836-08:00GIVEAWAY and a Review on Outcast by Jill Williamson...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTV5SNKD3gnBjBAnrHm0bJ_yAoJjJRZobvz_elrtOg70GU0hFDE7hIvyF0wfllQfOKryngR3XbwntPT2HBz-V_PYbjp4_uDikUkKE9fL9sf1Hn4Asnmb4te7jO5pbV9Hv4lsZfb_5da0/s1600/Outcast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTV5SNKD3gnBjBAnrHm0bJ_yAoJjJRZobvz_elrtOg70GU0hFDE7hIvyF0wfllQfOKryngR3XbwntPT2HBz-V_PYbjp4_uDikUkKE9fL9sf1Hn4Asnmb4te7jO5pbV9Hv4lsZfb_5da0/s1600/Outcast.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a><b>About the Book:</b><br />
Author: Jill Williamson<br />
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Series: The Safe Lands<br />
Book Two: Outcast<br />
Pages:416 pages<br />
Publisher: Zondervan</div>
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Genre: Dystopian/ YA/ Christian</div>
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Age Range: Mature 14+</div>
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<box-sizing: 13px="" 19px="" arial="" border-box="" color:="" font-family:="" font-size:="" line-height:="" sans-serif=""><b>Uncovering the truth could cost them their lives...</b></box-sizing:><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Since entering the Safe Lands, Mason has focused on two things: finding a way to free his village from captivity, and finding a cure for the disease that ravages many within the walls of the Safe Lands. After immune-suppressive drugs go missing in the clinic, Mason discovers his coworker, Ciddah, may know more about the Safe Lands than imagined ... and may have an agenda of her own. At the same time, Mason's brother Levi is focused on a way to free the remaining Glenrock captives, while Mason's younger brother Omar decides to take the rebellion against the Safe Lands into his own hands as a vigilante.</span></box-sizing:>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Soon all three brothers are being watched closely---and when Mason stumbles onto a shocking secret about the Safe Lands meds, his investigation just might get those closest to him liberated.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: white;">About the Author</span></b><br />
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Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms and the award-winning author of several young adult books including By Darkness Hid, Replication, The New Recruit, and Captives. She's a Whovian, a Photoshop addict, and a recovering fashion design assistant, who was raised in Alaska. She loves teaching about writing. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two children, and a whole lot of deer. Visit her online at</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><a href="http://jillwilliamson.com/"><span style="color: #674ea7;">jillwilliamson.com</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">, </span><span style="color: white;">where adventure comes to life.</span></box-sizing:>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib52la5uVVVzHsECxvy_1D7c36rvU9tH42t7cEZoYG-t4VAiEjWYW_cPW0QcQ5ye1CVz7rQoP274SybFrL19-uP9Xq09b5Xk39j4W6kAhJtJKo-UDxCRZuMd-OLe4f_iOOSPJtlUyos7Y/s1600/Eye__by_Mischx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib52la5uVVVzHsECxvy_1D7c36rvU9tH42t7cEZoYG-t4VAiEjWYW_cPW0QcQ5ye1CVz7rQoP274SybFrL19-uP9Xq09b5Xk39j4W6kAhJtJKo-UDxCRZuMd-OLe4f_iOOSPJtlUyos7Y/s1600/Eye__by_Mischx.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
<b>My Review...</b><br />
Ever since I read Replication, I have been a fan of Jill Williamson’s tales. She has the ability of writing a great cast of characters set in a unique, yet fun world. What I love about her most is her ability to write “real” life like characters. Her characters are never one dimensional, their layered and I love getting to know them.<br />
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Outcast is book two of her new series, The Safe Lands. It starts off where book one ended, so I highly recommend reading it in order. If you don’t, you’ll be lost.<br />
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I liked book two more than book one, but I’m still not a huge fan of her Safe Land series. I don’t mean this in a negative way. There is a lot I appreciate in her dystopian tale; such as her characters Shaylinn and Omar and her fresh story theme on this genre. I just don’t care for this genre and I know that’s why I’m slightly disappointed with it compared to her other tales.<br />
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The Safe Lands series hold a lot of issues that our youth struggles with in today’s society on morals. Though Jill Williamson does a magnificent job on writing about these mature and ugly topics, I would still recommend this series for mature 14+ readers ONLY. With that said it’s a great tale that makes you think hard on what you would do in a world that claims to give you anything, yet holds no hope or recognition of God. I recommend giving this dystopian series a try, yet a forewarning on the mature content.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgStz0h4ykGG4db4Yg8s5RLnVKc_vYjPyV60_IL_OAHby7F1ZVQw9r1e2iJdfEnhXPcQyOWteHR5vDm9YQ8ZJpeXr7db-s3FpvlN-k3I2yto1raN7hI9o4xd38U5PKx7QhDT3lMzrglc/s1600/Owl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgStz0h4ykGG4db4Yg8s5RLnVKc_vYjPyV60_IL_OAHby7F1ZVQw9r1e2iJdfEnhXPcQyOWteHR5vDm9YQ8ZJpeXr7db-s3FpvlN-k3I2yto1raN7hI9o4xd38U5PKx7QhDT3lMzrglc/s1600/Owl.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>(I received an ARC of Outcasts from the publisher and the author; however, it does not influence my review. The opinions in my review are entirely my own.)<br />
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My <a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/2013/05/giveaway-teen-novel-team-captives-by.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">review on Book One Captives</span></b></a><br />
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To purchase Outcasts please go to... <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outcasts-Safe-Lands-Jill-Williamson/dp/0310724244/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389236009&sr=8-1&keywords=outcast+jill+williamson" target="_blank"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Amazon Paperback</span></a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outcasts-Safe-Lands-Jill-Williamson-ebook/dp/B00BW3EDWA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1389236009" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Amazon Kindle</span></a></b><br />
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To find out more about the author Jill Williamson please go to<span style="color: #674ea7;"><b> <a href="http://jillwilliamson.com/"><span style="color: #674ea7;">jillwilliamson.com</span></a> </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
I'm doing a GIVEAWAY for one lucky person. To join in the giveaway please follow the Rafflecopter below.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ce2ea12/" id="rc-ce2ea12" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-62202873697977386212013-12-06T23:11:00.002-08:002013-12-06T23:28:14.786-08:00December Sidekick: Characters in Costume Challenge... I joined the fun December<em> Characters in Costume Challenge</em>, that the talented <strong><a href="http://ofbattlesdragonsandswordsofadamant.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Gillian Adams</span></a></strong> has lovingly created. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9E2HGIVqNUSgz5LjbmtlgemO8rqcj-FUaL4C2cunn1q_M02ry0tJSHy6tcdoZEJ9BOxAyHXuC1IEdah7MuFQ4zjQ6KyW9G44vZTdOY0uGiwzBoak0QKY0ua1rjPw4HsnU2O3lyAcz1M/s1600/Characters+in+Costume+Challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9E2HGIVqNUSgz5LjbmtlgemO8rqcj-FUaL4C2cunn1q_M02ry0tJSHy6tcdoZEJ9BOxAyHXuC1IEdah7MuFQ4zjQ6KyW9G44vZTdOY0uGiwzBoak0QKY0ua1rjPw4HsnU2O3lyAcz1M/s320/Characters+in+Costume+Challenge.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This month we're focusing on our wonderful sidekick characters. They really don't get enough credit! </span><br />
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<strong>Challenge Guidelines:</strong> It's quite simple, really.<br />
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Pick one of your obstacle characters. Or, if you're not a writer, or not currently writing a story, feel free to choose an obstacle character from one of your favorite books.<br />
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Find a costume that fits your character and take a picture of yourself in said costume (and in character - i.e. if your character is prone to scowling, don't smile in the picture.)</div>
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Post the picture on your blog or somewhere online where the other Challenge members can see it. </div>
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Feel free to write a little bit about your character too, or if it's a character from someone else's book, tell us why you chose that character!</div>
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Pretty cool huh?<br />
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Todays character is Katriel from my series <em><u><a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/p/my-book.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">The Chronicles of the Key Holders</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">.</span> </span></u></em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY5bWvVqfQAJFuYvpXH9GHSyeg1Bm6XRisYCOtQ_jVe4ydZH-F1cjPLbKiiG_ZlPz5I8uZeqiykgQM-XcaPE-7fhcnLLY2FaASxQtprBTG9BGHaepqJWoPLsoJkta8ufVU4l-HQxrnDo/s1600/KatrielNew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY5bWvVqfQAJFuYvpXH9GHSyeg1Bm6XRisYCOtQ_jVe4ydZH-F1cjPLbKiiG_ZlPz5I8uZeqiykgQM-XcaPE-7fhcnLLY2FaASxQtprBTG9BGHaepqJWoPLsoJkta8ufVU4l-HQxrnDo/s400/KatrielNew.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<em>(Yes, that's me in the picture... hehe. And no it's not my best Photoshop job, but it was fun.)</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; font-size: 12pt;"></span> <span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; font-size: 12pt;">Katriel, like her mother</span> is a healer, which is rare in her broken land. She along with her family fight in Prince Kaiden's army in hopes of saving their world from darkness. Being a healer isn't easy, for you are always hunted by the enemy for your gift. Always by her side is her beloved red fox, together they search for injured knights.<br />
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I know this is really short and doesn't really show her sidekickness ;-)... I'm sorry for that, I didn't have a lot of time today, but I love doing these. They're so much fun!<br />
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Please be sure to check out the <strong><a href="http://ofbattlesdragonsandswordsofadamant.blogspot.com/2013/12/december-characters-in-costume.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">other participants</span></a></strong> in this fun challenge. Thank you Gillian for letting me join in again on the fun and for putting it together. I hope to join in on your next character challenge. I'll be sure to give more teasers on my series The Chronicles of the Key Holders.<br />
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For those of you that are interested in finding out more about my series please "Like" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ryan-Paige-Howard/400120113436046" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">my facebook</span> </span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">page</span></strong></a>.<br />
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<em><u><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></u></em> </div>
R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-91352294737723237132013-10-09T22:25:00.000-07:002013-10-09T22:28:40.800-07:00Don't Become "Such" A Person...<span class="userContent"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="userContent"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzL5dOrLNE7OpQyyCZyB3OzjEI5_Aguo5unaFmI9BeFbYgAB92kLGztzsNWOKQj5RFKKN4ODtQSLISchl4IlMfaBBzoAjFdpCHvQsPaaarVaDCntfh7ODoupmMhyphenhyphenCUiWX3CSc33U_-MrM/s1600/broken-heart-hand-hold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzL5dOrLNE7OpQyyCZyB3OzjEI5_Aguo5unaFmI9BeFbYgAB92kLGztzsNWOKQj5RFKKN4ODtQSLISchl4IlMfaBBzoAjFdpCHvQsPaaarVaDCntfh7ODoupmMhyphenhyphenCUiWX3CSc33U_-MrM/s320/broken-heart-hand-hold.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].<br />
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For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_show"> inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.<br /><br /> [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.<br /><br /> [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.<br /><br /> For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]. ~2 Timothy 3:1-5 <i class="_4-k1 img sp_6pbz2c sx_6124ef"></i><br /><br /> <strong>LET US NOT BECOME</strong> such a person! Do not let your heart turn ugly from this mad crazy world. Stand bold in the Light and hold onto the truth! There is indeed still beauty around us EVERY day. Turn off the media and step out. Love one another and care for those around you. Every person that is in your life, is in your life for a reason. Don't pass up any opportunity to share the ultimate gift. Don't forget what you were created for! You have a great purpose... if you choose it</span></div>
</span><br />R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1922154975614009944.post-54311673067467633612013-09-23T18:32:00.000-07:002013-09-23T18:36:00.289-07:00Team Novel Teen: Anomaly by Krista McGee...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxDV2T4YxYJkF4kQY2GJEXMuk7qkDvj8dO6uZcZ8a9F4Yzkkf2ywYTlI6B8o-jc0cBrKOq4N_7nL3VQKGlyKHC58VvbkVAXGwt1H5T9A3JXCtc3F530DTQpLD9NA7Jo79bty9JDKBLhc/s1600/Anomaly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxDV2T4YxYJkF4kQY2GJEXMuk7qkDvj8dO6uZcZ8a9F4Yzkkf2ywYTlI6B8o-jc0cBrKOq4N_7nL3VQKGlyKHC58VvbkVAXGwt1H5T9A3JXCtc3F530DTQpLD9NA7Jo79bty9JDKBLhc/s400/Anomaly.jpg" width="261" /></a><strong>About the book</strong><br />
Age Range: 14+<br />
Genre: dystopian <br />
Part of a Series: book one in the Anomaly series<br />
Author: Krista McGee<br />
Pages: 303<br />
Publisher: Thomas Nelson<br />
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<strong><em>Thalli has fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds to live. The toxic gas
that will complete her annihilation is invading her bloodstream. But she is not
afraid.</em></strong> </div>
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Decades before Thalli’s birth, the world was decimated by a
nuclear war. But life continued deep underground, thanks to a handful of
scientists known as The Ten. There they created genetically engineered human
beings who are free of emotions in the hope that war won’t threaten the world
again.<br />
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Thalli is an anomaly, born with the ability to feel emotions and a
sense of curiosity she can barely contain. She has survived so far by hiding her
differences. But then her secret is discovered when she’s overwhelmed by the
emotion of an ancient piece of music.<br />
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The Ten quickly schedule her
annihilation, but her childhood friend, Berk—a scientist being groomed by The
Ten—convinces them to postpone her death and study her instead. While in the
Scientists’ Pod, Thalli and Berk form a dangerous alliance, one strictly
forbidden by the constant surveillance.<br />
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As her life ticks a way, she
hears rumors of someone called the Designer—someone even more powerful than The
Ten. What’s more, the parts of her that have always been an anomaly could in
fact be part of a much larger plan. And the parts of her that she has always
guarded could be the answer she’s been looking for all along.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQlkyg3QoGW8iKt-GYWWV6c051CbjQgT0e-YRzKzwlW4c1_hSqGUwSXWtJrGxQPRVPPXJRWbtoorRHAH5MqLqCIvGHrRndR9Ph5ZmK6ePgudcIkrfv4yWLu8L5CIDrDEQ7MFJ8_9HYNo/s1600/violin_by_rubynayantara-d5kw1q2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQlkyg3QoGW8iKt-GYWWV6c051CbjQgT0e-YRzKzwlW4c1_hSqGUwSXWtJrGxQPRVPPXJRWbtoorRHAH5MqLqCIvGHrRndR9Ph5ZmK6ePgudcIkrfv4yWLu8L5CIDrDEQ7MFJ8_9HYNo/s320/violin_by_rubynayantara-d5kw1q2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Thalli must
sort out what to believe and who to trust, before her time runs out.<br />
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<strong>My Review</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
All in all I really liked Anomaly. I loved the characters, especially Thalli, Berk, and John. I loved the story theme of love and "true" love, and I really loved the Christian touch throughout the book.<br />
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I am not usually a fan of dystopian, in fact I kind of hate it. Anomaly was for sure dystopian, but full of a lot of hope and beauty. Fans of dystopian will be sure to enjoy it also, but those who don't normally enjoy this genre might be surprised by it... I sure was.<br />
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This book is very Christian, the story theme is based on it so I highly doubt non Christians will enjoy it and those who don't liked to be "preached" to might not either. Personally I was really touched by the Christian message within it.<br />
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Anomaly was a beautiful read, with a lovely message. I highly recommend it and I greatly look forward to book two, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Luminary-Anomaly-ebook/dp/B00DNBEADG/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1379986400&sr=1-2" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Luminary</span></strong></a>, which comes out January 7, 2014.<br />
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<strong>To purchase Anomaly go to... <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401688721/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401688721&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwteenageaut-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Amazon Paperback</span></a></strong> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Anomaly-ebook/dp/B00B7QRB94/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1379985899&sr=8-2&keywords=anomaly" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><strong>Amazon Kindle</strong></span></a><br />
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<strong>To find our more about the author Krista McGee:</strong> <a href="http://www.kristamcgeebooks.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><strong>http://www.kristamcgeebooks.com</strong>/</span></a><br />
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<strong>Become a fan on her Facebook Page:</strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/krista.a.mcgee"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><strong>https://www.facebook.com/krista.a.mcgee</strong></span></a><br />
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<strong>Be sure to see what others are saying about Anomaly...</strong><br />
Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about <em>Anomaly </em>by Krista McGee by clicking on the links below <br />
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<strong><a href="http://addlibrarian.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">ADD Librarian</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://addlibrarian.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://addlibrarian.wordpress.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://audaciousreader.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Audacious Reader</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://audaciousreader.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://audaciousreader.wordpress.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://www.bloomingwithbooks.webs.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Blooming with Books</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://www.bloomingwithbooks.webs.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://www.bloomingwithbooks.webs.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Bookworm Reading</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://bookwormreading.blogspot.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://christianbookreviewblog.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Christian Book Review Blog</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://christianbookreviewblog.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://christianbookreviewblog.blogspot.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://www.ctfdevourer.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">CTF Devourer</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://www.ctfdevourer.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://www.ctfdevourer.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://www.jillwilliamson.com/jill-williamsons-blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Jill Williamson</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://www.jillwilliamson.com/jill-williamsons-blog/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://www.jillwilliamson.com/jill-williamsons-blog/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://www.katieclarkwrites.com/apps/blog/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Katie Clark Writes</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://www.katieclarkwrites.com/apps/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://www.katieclarkwrites.com/apps/blog/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://katie-mccurdy.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Katie McCurdy</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://katie-mccurdy.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://katie-mccurdy.blogspot.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://katelynthekreative.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">The Life of a Teenage Writer</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://katelynthekreative.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://katelynthekreative.blogspot.com</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://www.ramblingsbybethany.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">The Ramblings of a Young Author</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://www.ramblingsbybethany.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://www.ramblingsbybethany.blogspot.com</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span></strong><strong><a href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Realm of Hearts</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a data-reactid=".r[29p4e].[1][4][1]{comment578992008814051_579582275421691}.[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].[3]" href="http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://realmofhearts.blogspot.com/</span></a></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://shadowwriterworld.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Shadow Writer World</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://shadowwriterworld.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://shadowwriterworld.blogspot.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://worthy2read.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Worthy2Read</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://worthy2read.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://worthy2read.wordpress.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color: #93c47d;">
</span><a href="http://writinginsummertime.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Writing in Summertime</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> • </span><a href="http://writinginsummertime.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/book-review-anomaly.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #93c47d;">http://writinginsummertime.blogspot.co.uk/</span></a><br />
</strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">In conjunction with the Team Novel Teen Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you, Jill Williamson and Thomas Nelson!</span></strong><br />
<br />R.P.Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17154539984752925485noreply@blogger.com4