CFBA: Book Review, No Safe Haven

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing No Safe Haven B and H Books (March 15, 2011) by Kimberly and Kayla Woodhouse

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

A devoted wife and mother, Kimberley Woodhouse is a third generation Liszt student, she has passed down her love of the arts to hundreds of students over the years.

About fifteen years ago, Kimberley began writing seriously. Songs, plays, short stories, novels, picture books, articles, newsletters - you name it - she's written it. It wasn't until a dear friend challenged her to "do something with it", that she pursued publication.

Kimberley and her family's story have been on the front page of newspapers, in magazines, articles, medical journals, and most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. They were also asked to share their story on The Montel Williams Show and Discovery Health Channel's Mystery ER. She has recorded three albums, and has appeared at over 700 venues. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband and their two children in a truly "Extreme" home.

Thirteen-year-old Kayla Woodhouse’s zest for writing comes not only from her natural ability, but also from her love of the written word as witnessed by her voracious reading appetite. One of only a few dozen cases in the world, Kayla was born with HSAN, Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathy, an extremely rare nerve disorder. Unable to sweat, or feel pain, she’s also been through brain surgery. But even through a life of extreme hardships, her ever-present smile encourages others to pursue their dreams, no matter the obstacles. In addition to being homeschooled and writing with her mom, she’s an amazing swimmer, and spends up to thirty hours a week in training. No Safe Haven, her first release from B and H Publishers in 2011, written with mother, Kimberley, makes her the youngest author to have a full-length novel published by a royalty paying publisher.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jenna and Andi Tikaani-Gray are hoping for a fresh start. Though twelve year-old Andi has long struggled with a rare medical disorder, she and her mother have finally received good news from out-of-town specialists. It's news they desperately needed, especially after the recent death of Jenna's husband (Andi's dad) in a car accident.

But as they are flying home to Alaska, ready to begin again, the unthinkable happens. The pilot sabotages their small plane and crashes into Sultana, one of the most remote and dangerous mountains in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Even worse, a winter storm is headed their way along with someone who doesn't want to save them, but to kill them.

Only one man can keep them alive: Cole Maddox, the mysterious last-minute passenger who joined them on their flight. But trust doesn't come easy to Jenna or AndiÑand they both sense Cole is hiding something.

A relentless tale of survival and suspense unfolds, involving military technology designed by Jenna's late husband that some would do anything to possess.

Watch the Book Video:



If you would like to read the first chapter of No Safe Haven, go HERE.

MY THOUGHT'S:
I am very impressed by the authors, their lives alone are fascinating!  This is a very fast-paced and suspenseful read, to make it more gripping, Andie, one of the main characters suffers from the same medical condition that teenager author Kayla Woodhouse has.

Drama and suspense hit you in the first few pages and I love how the characters have their own voice as each chapter is written through the eyes of different characters.  This story will leave you as cold as the Alaskan mountains, then warm you with romance.  All in all a thrilling read!



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

Book Review: Possession

POSSESSION
Tyndale House Publisher
Available now!
In the aftermath of investigating the D.C. sniper case, police detective Vance Graegan is burned out on life and love. Hoping to save his marriage, he quits the force and moves his wife and son to the other side of the country. But when the movers decide to hold his belongings for ransom, Vance is determined to ensure that his family’s new beginning is not ruined. Soon, though, losing his possessions becomes the least of his problems as everything they are fighting for begins to unravel in the hands of Vance’s past. In an unforgettable climax, a little boy’s innocent faith brings a group of desperate people to their knees. What is at stake counts for everything, but nothing can prepare Vance for who is behind it.

MY THOUGHTS:
My brother had an issue with movers several years ago, and I remember his difficulties in dealing with movers that had lost his belongings, so I was totally able to relate to the moving problem in this story!  Can you imagine having all of your belongings held hostage?  This book leads to the question, "how important are our possessions?"  what would YOU give for your possessions, and when you compare that to your family, what would you do to keep them safe?

It's bad enough to be threatened by movers, but when things begin to become sinister you wonder how this family will survive their current situation much less the one haunting Vance Graegan from his past, are they connected in some way?  Although this book is full of turmoil, death and despair young Connor has a deep love for God that his mom just can't understand, will his faith help keep the family strong, or is it too late?

This is a great book full of drama and faith and what it can do for tortured souls


**I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for review from Tyndale Publishing

Cup Cake Face Cloth

 
Just finished knitting a cute little Cup Cake Face cloth, I think more of these are in my future, what a great way to use up those partial yarn balls. This is a pattern by Carissa Bonham, you can visit her blog here, and she also has the pattern on Ravelry.

Spring is in the air

Is it Spring where you live?  Our snow is melting, the driveway is muddy, our front yard is mud soup, but I'm still holding my breath, it IS March after all and it's supposed to snow this week, but at least we can call it 'spring'!

The cats are rambunctious, the dog is frisky and the horses are kicking up their heels.....

I'm dreaming about planting my garden, watching the flowers bloom and enjoying the summer sun, it's time for old man winter to be gone!

TheraBreath Review and Giveaway!

Have you ever had one of those days where your breath just wasn't what it should be? C'mon, we've all had those days, but with TheraBreath those days will be long forgotten!

Here's an excerpt taken from the Free Downloadable Bad Breath Bible:

The Bad Breath Bible
by Dr. Harold Katz
 

I started researching the truth about bad breath back in 1993 when my own teenage daughter complained that her friends offered gum and mints whenever her mouth became dry. At that time, the theory was that bad breath came from the digestive system (an unfortunate myth)which led to bogus capsules that were swallowed eagerly by the public but which provided no relief. Because of my experience as a dentist and my degree in Bacteriology (both from UCLA), I performed some basic tests which showed that the problem was bacterial in nature.
Further experimentation and clinical trials proved that oxygenating compounds, properly pH buffered (now known as TheraBreath) were by far the best way to battle the anaerobic bacteria that were at the heart of the problem. (More details on our formulas are found later on.)

A Bad Breath Bible does sound a bit funny, but you really should read it, bad breath is something no one wants yet everyone has at least sometime, and after trying the products below, I think Dr. Katz is onto something great!

For my review I received Fresh Breath Toothpaste.  At first I was rather unsure about the toothpaste, I'm so used to being hit with a blast of mint that this toothpaste seemed rather powerless.  The flavor is quite mild, but definitely works and ends up leaving you feel much more fresh than with your usual over powering mint toothpaste!  Also, interestingly enough, the packaging says to use a DRY toothbrush...WHAT?  Well, to do an honest review I followed the directions, wow, I can see why this is a cure for DRY mouth, no water needed!  The trick here is to solve the problem, not cover it up! 

I also received a bottle of Fresh Breath Oral Rinse, wow....love the rinse!  With most rinses the minute it hits your mouth you feel as if you've eaten a torch, not the Fresh Breath Oral Rinse...what I liked about the rinse is that as you swoosh the rinse around and gargle the mint taste seems to appear out of nowhere.  It's a gentle mint and while it doesn't blast you away, it definitely blasts away the germs and any bad taste left in your mouth from who knows what!

 

Last, but not least, I received a box of  Fresh Breath Lozenges.  These are fun, they come in the great box pictured below, dispenser and all!  What these little guys lack in size they make up for in power and taste.  WOW, these are a keeper.  Minty with a touch of orange, each mint is individually wrapped so they're perfect for putting in your pocket or purse.  Great for those moments when you simply cannot use a 

toothbrush or gargle mouth wash!

The bottom line is that each one of these items alone leave you with fresh breath, but when you put all 3 of them together, they pack a punch!  You won't be disappointed, head on over to the website, sign up for the Daily Deal, download the Bad Breath Bible, take an online Breath Test or just look around!

**Thanks to TheraBreath I received complimentary products in exchange for an honest review, I was not in any other way compensated for my thoughts, giveaway is compliments of TheraBreath as well.

Now here's the good news, I am giving away 1 Tube of Fresh Breath toothpaste and 1 bottle of Fresh Breath Oral Rinse to one lucky reader!  Follow the rules for your chance to win!

***First, the details:  Leave a separate comment for each entry and leave your email address

Mandatory: US Only this time
Head on over to TheraBreath and tell me your favorite product or something you learned

Extras:
+1 Follow me publicly via GFC or if you're an old follower, let me know
+1 Follow me on Twitter @lluuluu
+1 Follow me on FaceBook

Giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday March 27th, winner will be chosen by Random.Org and will be notified by email.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen!

GOOD LUCK

Book Review: Code of Justice

ABOUT LIZ:

After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations, Liz Johnson set out to work in the Christian publishing industry, which was her lifelong dream. In 2006 she got her wish when she accepted a publicity position at a major trade book publisher. While working as a publicist in the industry, she decided to pursue her other dream-being an author. Along the way to having her novel published, she wrote articles for several magazines and worked as a freelance editorial consultant.  Liz makes her home in Nashville, TN, where she enjoys exploring her new home, theater, and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her nephew and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings.

When Liz Johnson contacted me and asked if I was interested in reviewing her book Code of Justice, I jumped at the chance, after reading her book Vanishing Act I knew I wouldn't be disappointed, and now I'm thinking that I really must get my hands on her first book while I wait for whatever she has in store for us next!!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the back cover:

"FOLLOW THE DRUGS"

     Her sister's last words shake FBI agent Heather Sloan to the core.  They also convince her that the helicopter crash only Heather survived wasn't an accident.  Sheriff's deputy Jeremy Latham is assigned the case-he's the one who can help Heather find the person responsible...once she convinces him they should work together.  As they dig for the truth, they learn to trust and care for each other.  Will they lose it all when the killer targets Heather?  She's willing to risk her life to find her sister's killer-but her code of justice could cost her the chance to win Jeremy's love.

Loved this story, a quick read full of suspense and fun...a perfect way to end a long day!  When Heather wakes up in a hospital room it takes her a bit to realize where she is and what happened.  Then she remembers her sister's last words: "follow the drugs", what do they mean?  Of course, as an FBI agent, Heather just has to learn the truth and is bound to learn it even though she is not allowed back to work until she is fully healed! 

Right from the get-go you feel the suspense and drama as someone tries to kill Heather, and as you read the story you want to warn Heather about the dangers she's about to encounter, but of course you can't and you have to leave the caring part up to Jeremy.  Jeremy has a few of his own ghosts to deal with and you're just going to love the twist in the story!

If you love romance and suspense all rolled into one, then you're going to love this book, head on over and read the first chapter HERE, but I warn you, you'll be hooked! 




*Special thanks to Liz Johnson for sending me a copy of her book to review, my thoughts about the book are my honest thoughts and feelings.

Lazy Day Friday

Happy Friday, today I am feeling most lazy...I seem to have lost my get-up and go. I did get up and go grocery shopping, that was no fun to be sure, but seriously, I'm just plain brain dead today, can't even bring myself to pick up my needles and yarn. Maybe it's the sun, I feel like being a cat today and just lazy about in the rays coming through my living room window!

Since I'm so lazy today, I'm going to post a picture or two of our recent trip to California, had some great photo opportunities while we were there! Today I'll share a sunset photo...some of the sunsets we saw were amazing. I'm sure we have amazing sunsets in MN as well, but I live in the woods so the trees keep the sunset out.

Sunset near Joshua Tree in Yucca Valley