Thursday, May 25, 2017

BLOG TOUR w/ GIVEAWAY: J. Golden Kimball by Kathryn Jenkins Gordon


ABOUT THE BOOK

He is J. Golden Kimball, and when he is gone, there will never be another. He was the original product, and when Providence had finished him, the pattern was lost and never found again.

LDS Church history is comprised of the accounts of multitudes of men and women who set the groundwork for the Church. And while there are plenty of ordinary individuals woven into that patchwork of history, there are also a handful of unique individuals who enliven the past and provide inspiration for the future. Known as the “swearing Apostle,” J. Golden Kimball is just such a character, one whose legacy of colorful language is surpassed only by his fierce loyalty to the gospel.

In J. Golden Kimball: The Remarkable Man Behind the Colorful Stories, readers are invited to come to better know this legendary man made famous by his unique humor and powerful testimony. From a chronicle of Kimball’s youthful adventures to the legacy he forged in his more than forty years as a General Authority, gear up for a rollicking ride through the life of one of the liveliest servants of the Lord.

REVIEW

J Golden Kimball is well known in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) for the comments he made as a general authority.  But there is so much more to the man than that and Gordon shows that in this book, documenting major events in his life that led him to become the man that all those stories are about.  But she also includes sidebars that tell some of the best known stories about the man, and I admit they are funny, a bit foul-mouthed at times, but funny.  Left destitute by his father's death at the tender age of 15, J Golden left school to find work to help support his family.  It's clear the man knew how to work, but he also had plenty of failures and struggles along the way.  I found it fascinating to read about the talents he developed as well as the faith that kept him going during both the good and bad times.  Truly a unique individual, reading this biography opened my eyes to the fact that he was an interesting man who lived his life the best he knew how.

GIVEAWAY

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TOUR SCHEDULE

*May 24th:  
*May 26th:
http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/,
http://thethingsilovemost.com/,
http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/,
http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/


Thursday, May 18, 2017

BLOG TOUR w/ GIVEAWAY: Wrong for You by Jenny Proctor


ABOUT THE BOOK

Lane Bishop is a hardworking, intelligent, beautiful young woman. And with her recent move to Chapel Hill, she is determined to leave behind the drama and effort of keeping up with the dating scene. Even so, Lane somehow manages to get dragged out by a gaggle of girls to go watch boys play soccer. Just watching is not Lane's forte, so she joins in the fun and leads her team to victory.

Rather than feeling intimidated by the vivacious beauty on the opposing team, Jamie Hamilton is intrigued. Risking his "untouchable" dating status, he decides to pursue Lane—with a little help from his older brother Simon. With Simon's behind-the-scenes assistance, Jamie proves irresistible, even to a disillusioned dater like Lane. But as she gets to know both brothers, Lane can't help but wonder—beneath the grand gestures and romantic words, is she falling for the wrong guy?

REVIEW

I thoroughly enjoyed Proctor's last book involving music, so I was looking forward to this one with it's story line similar to Cyrano de Bergerac with one person providing the romance for someone else.  But Proctor's added an interesting twist to that idea by making the two brothers.  Lane becomes interested in Jaime after running into him and playing against him in a pick up soccer game (he rejects her offer to join his team).  But Jaime recruits his brother Simon's help in impressing Lane.  The problem comes in when Simon starts getting to know Lane better than Jaime.  Lane becomes confused between what she sees as two sides to Jaime at the same time as her feelings for Simon grow stronger.  Naturally deception in a dating relationship does not bode well and problems arise.  But Lane is a delightful character and the Hamilton brothers are swoon-worthy, making for a thoroughly enjoyable, and engaging story.

GIVEAWAY

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TOUR SCHEDULE

May15th: 
May 16th:  
May 17th: 
May 18th:  
May 19th:  

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

BOOK REVIEW: Compassionate Soldier by Jerry Borrowman


ABOUT THE BOOK

Compassionate Soldier illuminates fascinating yet largely unknown stories of men and women whose humanity led them to perform courageous acts of mercy and compassion amid the chaos and carnage of war. Arranged by war from the American Revolution to the Iraq War and global in perspective, it features extraordinary stories of grace under fire from valiant soldiers and noncombatants who rose above the inhumanity of lethal conflict and chose compassion, even knowing their actions could put their lives and liberty at risk.

Included are the stories of Patrick Ferguson, a British officer during the American Revolution who had the chance to kill George Washington but refused to shoot a man in the back; Richard Kirkland, a Confederate soldier during the Civil War who took water to wounded Union soldiers during the battle of Fredericksburg; and Oswald Boelcke, a German WWI flying ace who was one of the most influential tacticians of early air combat and was known for making sure the airmen he shot down made it to the ground alive.

These and other inspirational stories illustrate that even in the midst of the unspeakable horrors of war, acts of kindness, mercy, compassion, and humanity can prevail and, in doing so, expand our conventional thinking of honor and battlefield glory.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jerry Borrowman is an award-winning author of historical fiction and nonfiction. He has written about World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, and the Vietnam War. He is the recipient of the George Washington National Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. Jerry and his wife, Marcella, raised four children and live in the Rocky Mountains.

REVIEW

War is such a horrible thing and yet millions of people have experienced the horrors of it.  But stories like the ones told in this book give one hope that despite "man's inhumanity to man" there is still hope for the human race.  Borrowman starts with an intriguing story from the Revolutionary War about a time when George Washington could have been killed but because of the honor of a British soldier was not.  Some of the stories here are familiar to me such as the one about the Angel at Fredricksburg, the Confederate soldier who risked his life to provide water to dozens of wounded Union soldiers, as well as the story about a group of German teenagers who risked their lives to oppose Hitler.  Additional stories about a nurse, a German fighter pilot, a Nazi prison guard, and a German general all tell remarkable tales of people who had the courage as well as compassion to help others when it would have been so much easier not to.  Borrowman does a nice job of providing context for each of his stories so it's easier to understand just how much each of these individuals risked and sometimes lost their lives for. A powerful collection of stories that I highly recommend for reading when the bad news threatens to win the day.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

BLOG TOUR w/ GIVEAWAY: Sense & Second Chances by Brittany Larsen


ABOUT THE BOOK

Emily Carter is on the fast track to success when the unthinkable happens: a tragic accident claims the lives of her parents. Now Emily must set aside her dreams and raise her two younger siblings, Annie and Bryce. Emily and Annie are sisters, but that doesn't mean they are anything alike. Whereas Emily reacts to the tragedy with her characteristic stoic calm, passionate Annie spirals into depression. Just when things seem like they can't get any more difficult, Emily's older half-brother and his fiancee arrive, not to help but to claim the family home he's inherited from their parents. Without a place to call their own, Emily must take action—and fast.

When an exciting employment opportunity arises in Utah, the displaced Carters decide to build a new life in a new home. But it soon becomes clear that their future prospects will go far beyond professional as each sister is faced with an unexpected romance. Yet love is never simple, and in matters of the heart, one sister must proceed with caution while the other needs to take a leap of faith.

REVIEW

In this contemporary adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility,  Emily Carter is left to care for her younger sister and brother after her parents are killed in a plane crash.  When her older half-brother shows up to take the house that belongs to him, Emily is left wondering what to do with herself and her siblings.  When she meets the brother of her soon to be sister-in-law, she likes him immediately.  But Joel is Jewish and his family is against that changing, so Emily knows if he investigates her church (Mormon/LDS) and chooses to join that he will be losing a great deal.  Because of this Emily forces herself to give Joel up and move herself and her siblings to the ranch her father wanted to turn into an eco-friendly vacation spot.  But things take a turn for the worse when Emily's sister, Annie, gets involved an exciting but not trustworthy young man and goes off her meds.  Can Emily keep her family together and mend her broken heart or does God have other plans for her?  I quite enjoyed this story even though I knew the basic story line going in.  Making Annie an actress and Joel a Jew certainly added some interesting twists.

GIVEAWAY

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Thursday, May 4, 2017

BLOG TOUR w/ GIVEAWAY: Possibilities by Kiersten Lortz


ABOUT THE BOOK

 Do you feel stuck? Do you wish for a more joyful life than the one you're leading? If the routine and pressures of life have you running on autopilot, it may be time to reevaluate your current course and remember that change begins within yourself—and it takes work! With refreshing insights, author Kiersten Lortz encourages you to stop waiting for things to get better and to expect the best out of life—not for yourself but of yourself. Through inspired gospel teachings and personal experiences shared by women who have also felt stuck, you will be empowered to make the changed necessary to claim a more fulfilling and abundant life. now is the time to transform yourself into a woman of industry and faith. By learning to eliminate negative influences, seek positivity, and create a life of productivity, you can find the strength to take action today.

REVIEW


Unfortunately, I've been so busy this week, I haven't found the energy to read this book yet, but I will post the review as soon as I have.

GIVEAWAY

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TOUR SCHEDULE



Tuesday, May 2, 2017

CD REVIEWS: Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends & City of Enoch: Sweet Redeemer

Source: Deseret Book for review

ABOUT THE CD

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has collaborated with some of the most legendary vocalists and performers over the years. For this album, the Choir has assembled an unprecedented collection of recordings taken from standout performances over the past 15 years. Most of these performances were recorded live at the 20,000+ seat Conference Center in Salt Lake City. In addition, some real gems were uncovered or created specifically for this album, including a performance recorded live before millions of viewers at the start of the 2002 Winter Olympics (Sting & Yo-Yo Ma performing "Fragile") and new recordings such as Amy Grant's "Thy Word," The King's Singers' "I'm Running On," and Santino Fontana's "He Lives in You."

REVIEW

Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends is a delightful compilation of songs that the choir has sung with a variety of different professional musicians over the years.  Starting with the choir performing with Sting and Yo-Yo Ma in "Fragile" the choir performs brilliantly.  I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the wide variety of different styles and performers.  Some of these I'd heard elsewhere such as "Through Heaven's Eyes" with Brian Stokes Mitchell at a Christmas concert several years ago, but most of them I hadn't heard before.  While these songs may not have the spiritual touch that so much of the choir's work does, they highlight the skill and versatility that the choir possesses.  I recommend this collection for those who are already fans of the choir as well as those who may not have enjoyed their work before.  Check out the sample tracks here.


ABOUT THE CD

City of Enoch is the group that you have been waiting for, with a captivating sound that is described as “Lady Antebellum harmonies meet Christian Contemporary praise.” This debut album from a rising trio features new songs, great Christian covers, and an incredible new arrangement of the classic hit “He Hears Me”.

REVIEW


I enjoyed listening to the music of this new group called City of Enoch.  I'd categorize their music as Christian pop, with it's great messages yet upbeat pop sound. I only recognized one of the songs on this album but the arrangement was definitely different.  I enjoyed all the songs, especially the ones about the Savior.  The title song Sweet Redeemer was my favorite though.  What a comforting, sweet message about the love of the Lord for us.  I also really enjoyed the two songs based on stories from the Book of Mormon, Bountiful, about the visit of the Savior to the temple in Bountiful in the Americas, as well as 2000 about the Stripling Warriors.  A fun, yet sweet new collection of songs for all those who love the Lord and beautiful music.  I highly recommend that you check it out.