The Virgin Huntress by Victoria Vane

Lady Vesta Chambers is accustomed to getting what she wants…and what she wants is Captain Hewett DeVere…

Coddled and pampered since her mother's death, Lady Vesta Chambers is beside herself when her father goes to London to prepare for her come-out and returns with a young bride of his own. With her world turned upside down, Vesta accompanies her godmother, Diana, to town where she is smitten the moment she lays eyes on a certain captain of the Seventeenth Light Dragoons.

But when the object of her passion has eyes for another…

After reading and loving A Wild Night's Bride by Victoria Vane a few weeks ago, I was chomping at the bit to sink my teeth into The Virgin Huntress, the second book in the Devil DeVere series.  I was not disappointed!

Vesta Chambers has been living with her godmother, Diana, while her father enjoys time alone with his new bride. She's just turned eighteen and about to come out.  Captain Hewett DeVere has been away but is now ready to settle down and he has his eyes on the lovely Diana.

However, Vesta has taken one look at Hew and fallen head over heels.  She will do whatever it takes to get what she wants,  consequences be damned.  What ensues is a bold and fun romp that will leave you thoroughly entertained! Naughty and nice and wickedly delightful, fans of Vane's work will relish the boldness of Vesta and sigh with pleasure at the sparks that fly between her and Hew.  I can't wait to read more in this engaging and historical romance series! The Devil DeVeres are so dashing - what girl wouldn't swoon? Victoria Vane is a very talented author!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Winner: Bellarive

Thanks to everyone who entered and to the sponsor! Winner has 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be selected.

Michael Baker - confirmed

Congratulations!

Marilyn: The Passion and Paradox of Marilyn Monroe by Lois Banner

From Goodreads: Like her art, Marilyn Monroe was rooted in paradox: She was a powerful star and a childlike waif; a joyful, irreverent party girl with a deeply spiritual side; a superb friend and a narcissist; a dumb blonde and an intellectual. No previous biographer has recognized—much less attempted to analyze—most of these aspects of her personality. Lois Banner has.

Since Marilyn’s death in August of 1962, the appetite for information about her has been insatiable. Biographies of Marilyn abound, and whether these books are sensational or flawed, Marilyn’s fans have always come out in bestselling numbers. This time, with Lois 

Banner’sRevelations, the fans won’t be disappointed. This is no retread of recycled material. As one of the founders of the field of women’s history, Banner will reveal Marilyn Monroe in the way that only a top-notch historian and biographer could.

In researching Revelations, Banner’s credentials opened doors. She gained access to Marilyn intimates who hadn’t spoken to other biographers, and to private material unseen, ignored, or misinterpreted by her predecessors. With new details about Marilyn’s childhood foster homes, her sexual abuse, her multiple marriages, her affairs, and her untimely death at the age of thirty-six, Revelations is, at last, the nuanced biography Marilyn fans have been waiting for.

I've never read anything about Marilyn Monroe.  Sure, I've seen some old movies with her in it and I've heard about a conspiracy theory surrounding her death.  But beyond that, I was pretty clueless until I immersed myself in Banner's Marilyn.  It took me a while to really get a connection to this book.  It was really dry reading, with alot of time spent with Banner explaining why her research of Marilyn was correct and why everyone's before her was not.

But getting past that, she did offer some fresh perspectives about Marilyn's life.  Was she manipulated by men or was she in charge of her own destiny is for the reader to decide.  But I was intrigued in learning about Norma Jean's (her real name) childhood, her rise to stardom and her many men.  I particularly enjoyed the photographs in the book.  It really added to the story seeing her in so many different places and with so many different people.  Her life was simply captivating and tragic.

If you are a Marilyn fan or simply like to read biographies, I urge you to pick up Marilyn by Lois Banner.  Even though it's a bit unorthodox in places, meaning the author's whatfors and how comes, it really is a compelling piece of fiction.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Vitamin D Cure: The Sun and Vitamin D and a Giveaway!

The Sun and Vitamin D
By James E. Dowd, M.D. and Diane Stafford,
Authors of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition

Most people mistakenly think that they get enough vitamin D from casual sun exposure or their diets. Unfortunately, this is not true. People in today's urban digital society rarely get enough sun exposure to fill their vitamin D requirement, and nondietary sources must meet about 90 percent of your daily D needs.

The more melanin you have in your skin and the faster you tan, the more sunlight you need to convert pre-vitamin D to vitamin D you can use. The melanin in your skin acts as a natural sunscreen that blocks up to 90 percent of UV light. Dark African Americans need about seven times as much sunlight as fair-skinned European Americans to manufacture the necessary amount of vitamin D.

When equatorial dwellers immigrate to the United States, they move from overexposure at the equator, and their melanin, which once provided protection from the sun, now turns into a handicap in making vitamin D. This is a major reason for African Americans' higher incidence of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, gout, heart disease, systemic lupus, and cancer.

You may be thinking, I just need to take this book to my doctor and ask for a prescription to move to Florida or Southern California so I can get enough sunshine.

That's not the solution, and here's why: you have to live a lifestyle that lets you get outside to soak up sunlight. If your lifestyle doesn't allow that, you could live in Hawaii and be D deficient.

You won't see much difference in the D levels of people living in Florida and those from the northern United States, simply because culture, urbanization, and technology have lured all of us indoors and out of the sun during the last quarter century. Moreover, the smog in large metropolitan areas decreases D production, compared to rural areas at the same latitude.

The casual sunlight exposure of today's urban lifestyle isn't enough to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D, no matter what your latitude. That's why the Vitamin D Cure is essential!

The above is an excerpt from the book The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition by James E. Dowd, M.D. and Diane Stafford. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2012 James E. Dowd, M.D. and Diane Stafford, authors of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition

Authors Bios
James E. Dowd, M.D., co-author of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition, is an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University and the founder and director of both the Arthritis Institute of Michigan and the Michigan Arthritis Research Center. 

Diane Stafford, co-author of The Vitamin D Cure, Revised Edition, has published more than twelve books, including Migraines For Dummies and No More Panic Attacks.

For more information please visit http://www.drjamesdowd.com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will win a copy of The Vitamin D Cure!

*USA & Canada Only
*Fill out the Rafflecopter Below
*Contest ends August 30, 2012

Hillsong Live - Cornerstone - CD Review

Cornerstone was recorded in Sydney, Australia last fall with tens of thousands in worship at filled-to-capacity Allphones Arena. It captures the heart and sound of Hillsong Church globally representing the coming together of the Hillsong worship teams from around the world including Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Ben Fielding, Darlene Zschech and the international teams from London, Stockholm and Cape Town.

In their 21st Live release, Hillsong has brought us the cream of the crop.  Hillsong is known for having songs that are easy to sing to, relate to and have really resonated with many.  With their upbeat chorus's and phenomenal vocals, it's easy to see why these songs are routinely sung at worship services all over.  They sing to HIM, for HIM and it will reach in and grab a hold of you, uplifting you and filling you with His presence through them.  Their messages are unique with each song, from forgiveness to His love in a contemporary album that is sure to bring joy and peace to many.  This CD had it's own spot in my heart, as no matter what I'm feeling or going through, there's a song on here to remind me of my purpose and to praise Him and to have faith!

*I received a copy of this cd in exchange for my honest opinion.

Introducing Beth Hart Album Giveaway!

From If you've seen Beth perform or listened to one of her albums, you know that she is real. Beth sings from the depth of her soul, and her voice tells you stories and paints pictures that come from her life and experience. Beth states that "at times, I've been really down in my life, but you know, once you deal with it and make sense out of it, it gives you tremendous power'. Beth's songs emotionally resonate and create a shared experience with her audience.

Beth has had tremendous success in the UK and Europe. Her singles "LA Song (Out Of This Town)", "Leave The Light On", "Take It Easy On Me", "Sister Heroine", "I'll Take Care Of You and "Your Heart Is As Black As Night" (both with 

Joe Bonamassa) and of course "Good As It Gets" have all had major success. 

It is time to reintroduce Beth Hart in the US, following the success of Beth Hart-Joe Bonamassa, entitled, "Don't Explain". Please enjoy, "Good As It Gets" and the rest of the ep.

New Beth music-January 2013.

http://www.bethhart.com/

iTunes Download

First Single ' As Good As It Gets'

A definite winner that you will want to be sure to pick up this month!

GIVEAWAY

Two lucky winners will win their own CD of Introducing Beth Hart

*Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter

*USA Only

*Giveaway Ends August 29, 2012
*CD's shipped direct from sponsor

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Review & Gi veaway

Every time I'm at the grocery, I see other customers with boxed milk in their shopping carts.  I always wonder to myself if it tastes that good compared to regular dairy milk.  Are there really that many lactose intolerant people?

Then I decided to take the bull by the horns and try it myself.  I was delightfully surprised! I'm not lactose intolerant, and neither are any in my family.  However, this non-dairy beverage has a a great taste - made from almond milk!  Now, I've never had soy milk, so I can't compare it.  However, I am a  2% milk drinker and I have to say that I really love the taste of Almond Breeze.  I like the regular over my cereal and it was a bonus to find out that it has much lower calories than regular dairy milk.

I've also tried the Vanilla flavor but it was too sweet for my liking.  We have plans on purchasing the chocolate flavor next, I'd like to try and make some pudding for a chocolate silk pie with it.  I'm sure it will be wonderful, but we'll see! Now, my family likes the variety that Almond Breeze gives us and we know that it's a healthier alternative to dairy milk.  A definite new addition to my refrigerator!

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader is going to win a free product coupon for their own carton of Almond Breeze!

*Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter
*USA only
*Contest ends August 28, 2012

*I received a sample of Almond Breeze in exchange for an honest review.

Winners: Just Eyewear & Summer Hop

Thank you to everyone who entered and to the sponsors! Winners have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be selected.

$50 Just Eyewear Gift Certificate - Pamela James - confirmed

There Goes the Bride - Kim Smith - confirmed

Congratulations!

Winner: The Cruise

Thank you to everyone who entered and to Jaye Francis for sponsoring this giveaway! Winner has 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be selected.

Kirsten Codel Trego - confirmed

Congratulations!

Perfect Lies by Jennifer Crow

Jennifer Crow seemed to have everything: a beautiful family, a music career, and a thriving ministry. Yet she was constantly trying to keep her life together, fighting against the secret fears that churned through her mind. Then she found herself in a major health crisis; her doctors were confounded. And she realized that her constant negative thoughts—key lies she had come to believe about herself—were literally crippling her body, mind, and soul.

In Perfect Lies, Jennifer reveals the lies that held her back, walks us through her journey of miraculous recovery, helps us to identify these lies in our own lives, and shares practical techniques for overcoming them and finding true freedom instead.

 Perfect Lies is an inspiring novel of how to stop lying to ourselves so we are healthier, physically, mentally and spiritually.  Have you ever felt like you had to prove yourself to others and if you didn't, your worth was not as high? Lie. 

The Nine Lies that Crow sets out to prove are wrong.  

I Am Unlovable

I Am Worthless

I Am Unacceptable

I Am Unable

I Am A Target

I Am Not Angry

I Am Bad

I Am In Danger

I Am Deprived

By dismissing these lies and focusing on our scripture and the truth, it will change your life completely.  We've all believed one or more of these lies at some point in our lives and if there is a way to change our mindset so we can live a fuller, more healthier life, then why not?

Jennifer's struggles, physically and spiritually, are journeyed in this book that will inspire you and tug at your heart.    With steps to how to practice meditative prayer and other techniques, this book is a very valuable resource.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Soda Stream Review

I've been admiring from afar the Soda Stream for quite some time now. I fortunately had the chance to review one and I wish I had gotten one sooner! We drink soda in our house, but we also like flavored water, so the Soda Stream is a new staple on my kitchen counter.

The carbonate cartridge easily pops into the system.  Using one of the bottles provided, you fill it with water, twist into the system, a few pushes and the water is carbonated.  It will buzz to let you know when it is done.  Then you take the syrup that you prefer, pour it in and you have soda! It's very economical and there are so many flavors to choose from.

These are just a handful, but so far, our favorites are the cola and the rootbeer.  We made rootbeer floats - yummy! We are still going through all of the flavors and having so much fun! It's definitely cheaper than buying soda and it's so handy.  Definitely love it and highly recommend!!

*I received a soda stream to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Murder Takes Time by Giacomo Giammatteo and iPad 2 Giveaway!

From Amazon - A string of brutal murders has bodies piling up in Brooklyn, and Detective Frankie Donovan knows what is going on. Clues left at the crime scenes point to someone from the old neighborhood, and that isn't good. 

Frankie has taken two oaths in his life--the one he took to uphold the law when he became a cop, and the one he took with his two best friends when they were eight years old and inseparable. Those relationships have forced Frankie to make many tough decisions, but now he faces the toughest one of his life; he has five murders to solve and one of those two friends is responsible. If Frankie lets him go, he breaks the oath he took as a cop and risks losing his job. But if he tries to bring him in, he breaks the oath he kept for twenty-five years--and risks losing his life. 

In the neighborhood where Frankie Donovan grew up, you never broke an oath.

Debut work from Giammatteo is jam-packed with action, diverse characters and clever writing.  From page one, I was hooked and found it very hard to put down, wanting to know what would happen next.  I was a bit put off by the swearing but I hear it everyday so it was easy to overlook and didn't deviate from the story, but rather, lent believability to the characters.  With some brutal and graphic murder scenes, the reader really gets a good grasp of the situation that just invests you further.

I really liked the main character, Frankie, and how his emotions and decisions played out for him, not only in the short-term but for the long haul.  Giammatteo does a fantastic job of fleshing out the characters, making them easy to relate to but also, the pace of the novel is steady, keeping you up late (or rather me, in this case) burning the midnight oil, captivated.  I definitely will be looking for the next book by this very talented author!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Young Adult Giveaway Hop!

Welcome to the Young Adult Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Reading Teen! This hop runs from August 8th - 14th and all blogs on the hop have a young adult book related giveaway!

I'm offering a copy of The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong!

*Enter on the Rafflecopter below
*USA Only
*The Linky to the rest of the blogs is after the Rafflecopter widget

Tess, Terrorists and the Tiara by Terry Baldwin

From Amazon - Tess has never been able to compete with her “perfect” older sister, but now she must—if she wants to inherit her grandmother’s priceless tiara. The two girls have been invited to their grandparent’s lake house for the summer to help take care of Grandma who’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The sister who earns the most “helpful points” wins the former beauty queen’s crown.

It’s not easy for Tess, who seems to always get things wrong despite best intentions. But when a secretive family of Muslims moves in nearby and Grandma disappears, Tess learns a lesson about prejudice, fear, and the real value of doing good—a lesson that may be worth even more than the tiara.

What a fun young adult read! Tess and her sister spend the summer at Gradma's and whoever gets the most helpful points gets to keep Grandma's tiara she won back in the day.  Tess is full of energy and has a very active imagination.  She watches the neighbors and her imagination goes wild. 

Baldwin has created very likable characters, easily imagined and approachable.  The pages just flew by, entranced with the story with it's subtle messages,such as don't judge a book by it's cover.  If you're looking for a good, clean read for your middle grader, pick up Tess, Terrorists and the Tiara by Terry Baldwin.  A gem of a read!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Author interview with Leanna Ellis: Plain Fear Series + Giveaway!

1. Hi Leanna! Can you tell us a bit about yourself please?
   
   
   LE: Hi, Wendy! Thanks for having me here today! I’m a wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, etc…and writer. Most days I feel like a taxi driver as I drive my two children to and from their many activities. I love watching them grow and mature and become who they were intended to be. So I really enjoy going to all of their activities, watching rehearsals, practice, performances, and tournaments. It’s easy for life to sweep over me, especially now that my 81 year old mother moved within 6 minutes. But my husband will tell you, I’m happiest when I’m in the middle of a writing project. I love books and have been writing for twenty years, which still boggles my mind because I keep thinking I’m only twenty-four. 

2. Will you tell us about how the Plain Fear series came to be? What inspired you to pair Plain Life with Vampires?
   
   
   LE: Plain Fear: Forsaken (Book 1) actually began as a joke. I was at a book signing and another author and I made a joke about we should write an Amish/vampire story because those were the two genres that were selling so well. Well, it really was a joke. I didn’t rush home and start writing the book. But I suppose some seed was planted in my warped little brain and took root. Soon a character was speaking to me about her story and wanting me to write it. I resisted. But there was a very intriguing element that I couldn’t seem to ignore. After a few months, I wrote the prologue and first chapter on a whim. Then I set it aside because I was busy meeting other deadlines. Besides what was I to do with an Amish/vampire story? I mentioned it eventually to a couple of writer friends. They laughed but in a good way and encouraged me to write it. Well, I wasn’t so sure although I was becoming obsessed with the story. But I also spent a lot of time in prayer over this book. More than a year passed, and I was at a writer’s conference. An editor said the perfect submission would be…you guessed it! An Amish/vampire story. So I made an appointment to meet that editor and just talk about the idea. It almost felt like when an addict first admits she has a problem. “I’m a writer and I’ve written an Amish/vampire story.” Well, she requested it. Uh-oh! I hadn’t even mentioned the idea to my agent yet. So I ran into her in the hallway and told her. She laughed—in a delighted way because she loved the idea and she loves how my wacky brain works. So, when I got home, I sent my agent the first chapter to see if she liked it. She loved it. That was all in the fall of 2009. By 2010, I had a contract for Forsaken, and the first book in the series came out last year. 

But why Amish and vampire together? Besides the superficial reason I already gave, the two really work well together with my story. The image we have of the Amish is of a simple, innocent, wholesome way of life, which is a perfect environment to place a dark, frightening, evil entity. In fact, part of my inspiration for this story came from The Phantom of the Opera, and how innocent Christine is and how trusting of this voice she hears in her head—the angel of music. So an Amish heroine, sheltered by the world we know, seemed perfect. Except the Amish world isn’t always as sheltered as we think. Doors can be opened to evil forces. The Plain Fear series is good versus evil. So often we just think of evil as being dark and scary…well, it is that but it’s also alluring and appealing and attractive. If you just saw the dark, ugly, scary side of evil, who would go there? Each of the main characters in Forsaken and now Forbidden have to make tough choices. 

3. Do you have any writing rituals?
   
   
   LE: Rituals imply that they help make something easier. I’m not sure there is an easy way to write. If there is I haven’t discovered it yet. For me, just finding time to write is often a struggle. So any ritual I have is packing a bag with books or research and a notebook and taking my laptop with me everywhere I go. Often I have to write in the car while I’m waiting to pick up one of my children or while sitting at a coffee shop in between activities.
   
   
4. What books are you currently reading?
   
   
   LE:  Usually I have several books going at the same time. My children and I have been listening to The Hunger Games series in the car. I’ve been reading a non-fiction book called Hit Lit and also rereading Gone With the Wind and The Shining. How’s that for an eclectic bunch?
   
   
5. Are you working on another novel? Can you tell us anything about it? 
   
   

LE:  I am finishing up the third book in the Plain Fear series. This book is about the third Fisher brother, and I’m really enjoying it as he has a few choices to make on which direction his life is going to take. I would give you an official blurb but it would reveal something about book #2 Forbidden, and since its just releasing I better not. ;) 

Thanks so much for having me here, Wendy! It’s always nice to be around folks who love books. Happy reading all! 

PLAIN FEAR: FORBIDDEN BY LEANNA ELLIS – IN STORES AUGUST 2012 

How Long Must We Pay for the Sins of Our Past? 

She blames herself for her husband's death. But for Rachel Schmidt Nussbaum, redemption may only lie in the ultimate sacrifice.  

When a stranger arrives claiming only she can save him, Rachel's impulsive instincts lead her on a perilous journey, one that leads her to a battle that will decide both the fate of her soul and the life of her unborn child. 

A far–from–ordinary story of love and desperation, sin and sacrifice, Amish faith and vampire lore, Plain Fear: Forbidden is an imaginative thrill ride that's like nothing you've ever read before. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Leanna Ellis is the winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award and Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award. She has written numerous books for Harlequin/Silhouette and has published four books with B&H Publishing. With her husband, two children, and wide assortment of pets, she lives in Texas. For more information, please visit www.leannaellis.com, follow her on Twitter, @LeannaEllis, and “like” her on Facebook.

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will win their own copy of Plain Fear: Forbidden by Leanna Ellis!

*Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter

*USA and Canada Only

*Contest ends August 21, 2012