Archive for December, 2013

Review: The Book – Alan W. Watts

Tuesday, December 31st, 2013
Paperback: 163 pages
Publisher: Vintage Books; Later Printing Used edition (August 28, 1989)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0679723005
ISBN-13: 978-0679723004
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Synopsis:

This book presents a Western version of the Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism.

Review

I found this book to be quite fascinating, and mind opening. The author challenges the reader to question everything they believe. Through different passages, he for instances explains how existence is merely an illusion. I found the book to be very deep, inspiring, and leaving me thinking. If you are one who likes to contemplate the meaning of life, if you enjoy philosophical discussions, or just like to be challenged in your thinking, then you should definitely check out The Book. While it’s been 47 years since it was published, it still has a lot of value to teach us in how to look at the world differently.

About the Author

Alan Watts, born in Britain in 1915 became an author, philosopher, and speaker on subjects such as Buddhism and Vedanta. He died in 1973.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to at for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: To Be A Friend is Fatal – Kirk W. Johnson

Thursday, December 26th, 2013
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Scribner; First Edition edition (September 3, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1476710481
ISBN-13: 978-1476710488
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Synopsis:

A former worker in Iraq details his years of struggle in bringing Iraqi refugees who’d worked for our government to safety.

Review

I was disappointed after reading this book. Not in the book, it was excellent, but in our government. During the years of the Iraq War, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens worked under contract for our government. There were paid dirt poor wages at times, treated great at first, and later treated with distrust and disrespect. Then when the troops began to pull out they were abandoned. Many faced death threats due to helping the U.S. Many were assassinated.

Kirk Johnson worked in Iraq and around many of these Iraqis. When a freak accident during a vacation kept him from returning, he eventually turned to writing an Op-Ed about those left behind. When word of this Op-Ed reached Iraq he started receiving e-mail after e-mail asking for his help.

In To Be a Friend is Fatal he details the struggles he went through to set up a non profit to aid these refugees. The government bureaucracy, wasteful spending, and general attitude of neglect fill the pages.

While the largest section details events during the George W. Bush administration, the resistance to any help continued through to the Obama Administration. There are those who won’t read it, because they’ll think it attacks Bush, but in reality, it exposes the entire mess from the government in general.

To get an idea of how we do those who risk their lives and limbs to ally with us, pick up To Be a Friend is Fatal. I think you’ll find it very eye opening.

About the Author

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Alexsis at Simon & Schuster for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: The Wobbit – Harvard Lampoon

Tuesday, December 24th, 2013
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Touchstone (November 26, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1476763674
ISBN-13: 978-1476763675
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Characters:

Billy Bagboy – A Wobbit.
Dumbledalf – A Wizard

Synopsis:

A Wobbit is called into a special YOLO to stop Puff the Magic Dragon in this parody of The Hobbit.

Review

I had very mixed feeling about this. While some of the jokes I did find myself chuckling over, a lot of the humor seemed very dated. For instance, there was a Kirstie Alley fat joke, Richard Nixon was a character, and other things along those lines. Some of the most up to date cultural references involve more modern movies and stories. There was a lot of Harry Potter jokes, and at times some of the jokes were recycled to the point where they didn’t seem to continue to be humorous.

Perhaps in my old age, I’m losing my sense of humor, but to me it just didn’t strike the right chords on the humor scale. For that I’d recommend it for strong fans of the Tolkien Series, or of movie parodies. This is from the same authors as Nightlight, but for me I expected more. Maybe my expectations were too high, or I was in the wrong mood. Regardless, this isn’t quite one I’d recommend for everyone, but I’m sure there are some who’d love it.

About the Author

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to at for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: The Absence of Mercy – John Burley

Thursday, December 19th, 2013
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (November 19, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062227378
ISBN-13: 978-0062227379
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Characters:

Ben Stevenson – Coroner for the small town of Wintersville Ohio.
Sam Garston – County Sheriff.

Synopsis:

A young boy is savagely murdered. But before the murderer can be found he strikes again. And again.

Review

A great psychological thriller set in a small fictional town of Ohio. The author was able to capture the small town feel very well. The characters were well developed and likeable. There were plenty of twists and turns as first one person, then another becomes suspect. The murder scenes were quite descriptive and as such may not be everyone’s cup of tea. While it’s a small town, this is definitely not a cozy mystery.

The plot is tightly woven, and in the end the conclusion makes sense. It kept me guessing as I went along, as I had my own suspects. For a debut novel, this author has done a great job, and I look forward to reading more from him in the future. On a age scale, I’d put it as older teens and adults due to the content, but for all you thriller fans out there, you’ll like this. Grab a copy, give it a read, and stop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Burley was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up near the Chesapeake Bay. Following high school, he attended University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with Bachelor of Science degrees in psychology and physiology.

During his undergraduate years, John also trained as a paramedic/firefighter and served for many years in that capacity in a busy 911 jurisdiction in Montgomery County, Maryland, just north of Washington, D.C. He later completed a Master of Science program in medical pathology at University of Maryland, Baltimore and went on to attend medical school, earning his Doctor of Medicine from Rosalind Franklin University in North Chicago, Illinois. He then returned to Baltimore to complete an emergency medicine residency training program at University of Maryland/Shock Trauma Center.

After graduating from residency, John moved with his family to California, where he began work on his first novel. Four years later, the manuscript was purchased by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. The Absence of Mercy was published in November of 2013. It received the National Black Ribbon Award in recognition of an author who brings a fresh voice to suspense writing.

John and his family currently live in the San Francisco Bay area where he works as an emergency department physician. He is also hard at work on his next novel.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Joanne at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Foster Girl – Georgette Todd

Tuesday, December 17th, 2013
Paperback: 302 pages
Publisher: Alala Books (May 9, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615710808
ISBN-13: 978-0615710808
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Synopsis:

A poignant memoir of a young girl forced into the Foster Care system after the death of her mother.

Review

I don’t know where to begin on this book. I got halfway through it, and didn’t know whether I could finish it. The young woman’s story hit me on very personal levels and I could feel the pain seeping from the pages. But I owed it to her, to the readers of this website, and myself to find out how her story ended, at least insofar as this book.

It’s not just a look at the Foster Care system itself, but it’s a story of survival. Like the author, I also grew up in the Foster Care system, but my experiences were much different than hers. In 2011 alone, there were an estimated 400,000 kids in the Foster Care system. Almost 50% of those were in the homes of strangers.

Her story is one of group homes, juvenile centers, and private foster care homes. I would hope that her experience was unique, but from I’ve personally seen, her background is more of the rule than the exception.

The book was beautifully written, and really grabbed your attention. It’s not for the weak of heart though. It details childhood sexual abuse, drug abuse, and many of the reactions that come as a result of a painful background.

But for a glimpse into her life, and into the life of a Foster child, I heartily recommend that you pick this book up. The author has informed me that she has two more in the works, which I look forward to reading to see how her life advanced after her time in Foster Care.

About the Author

Georgette Todd has a BA in English and Journalism, attended law school and has a MFA in English, Non-Fiction Creative Writing from Mills College. Her writing has been featured on National Public Radio, in San Francisco Chronicle, San Diego Union-Tribune, Sacramento News & Review and other publications.

In 2011, Georgette was honored for her work in co-creating the first full-time youth advocacy program in America, a pioneering achievement in child welfare history. At present, Georgette is completing one of the two “Foster Girl” sequels, “Interviewing My Last Mother.”

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Georgette Todd at for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: Settled Blood – Mari Hannah

Thursday, December 12th, 2013
Paperback
Publisher: Pan Books (November 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0330539957
ISBN-13: 978-0330539951
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Characters:

Kate Daniels – Senior Investigating Officer, Murder Investigation Team.
Hank Gormley – Detective Sergeant.
Lisa Carmichael – Detective Constable.
Phillip Bright – Detective Chief Superintendent.

Synopsis:

A young girl’s body is found in the middle of an empty field. A team of Detective’s are brought into to discover who killed her, and how her body ended up there. Before they can do so though, a report of a missing young girl with an identical description shows up on their desk. But is it the same girl, or is someone preying on young, similar appearing women?

Review

This was a very tense story. The author did a great job of starting the clock ticking, and keeping the tension going all the way to the end of the story. The characters were well designed, and likeable. The plot was believable and was well paced.

As a reader, I’m rather used to Agatha Christie and the British phrases and terminology. This book was loaded with that, and left me sometimes wondering what they were talking about. For some readers this may tend to be a distraction, but I found it really drew me into the location.

Overall I found this to be a very enjoyable thriller with a satisfying conclusion and look forward to more from Ms. Hannah.

About the Author

Mari Hannah was born in London and moved north as a child. Sponsored by the Home Office, she graduated from Teesside University before becoming a Probation Officer, a career cut short when she was injured while on duty. Thereafter, she spent several years working as a film/television scriptwriter. During that time she created and developed a number of projects, most notably a feature length film and the pilot episode of a crime series for television based on the characters in her book, the latter as part of a BBC drama development scheme. She lives in Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective. In 2010, she won the Northern Writers’ Award.

Mari is the author of the Kate Daniels series.

To find Mari or see where she is appearing, visit her events page at: www.marihannah.com.

 

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Joanne at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Interview: James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell – Innocent Blood

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

Today, Rhodes Review is pleased to welcome James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell, co-authors of Innocent Blood on sale now at bookstores near you.

James Rollins is the New York Times bestselling author of thrillers translated into forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the “top crowd pleasers” (New York Times) and one of the “hottest summer reads” (People magazine).

Acclaimed for his originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets—and he does it all at breakneck speed. Find James Rollins on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, and at www.jamesrollins.com.

Rebecca Cantrell’s Hannah Vogel mystery novels have won the Bruce Alexander and Macavity awards and have been nominated for the Barry and RT Reviewers Choice awards; her critically acclaimed novel, iDrakula, was nominated for the APPY award and listed on Booklist’s Top 10 Horror Fiction for Youth.

She and her husband and son just left Hawaii’s sunny shores for adventures in Berlin. Find Rebecca Cantrell on Facebook, and Twitter, and at www.rebeccacantrell.com.

Rhodes Review: Have you ever been surprised by a controversy among fans or reviewers – for example, you created a character without thinking too much about what people would think of him, and found some readers loved him and some hated him?

Rebecca: All the time. Every reader brings something different to the book, so you never know! For INNOCENT BLOOD, I predict that we’ll get very mixed reactions to Elizabeth Bathory.

Jim: I personally loved the resurrected Elizabeth Bathory, but that’s just that twisted side to me. But, yes, sometimes I’m caught off guard by people’s reactions. Someone once told me they cried when I killed off the villain of my novel, Sandstorm. I wasn’t expecting that reaction.

Rhodes Review: Have you ever written anything that you thought would be controversial and found it wasn’t?

Rebecca: I thought that vampires living only off transubstantiated wine would be more controversial than it was. There were definitely some readers who had strong reactions, but most readers just went with it.

James: We were definitely battening down the hatches for some negative reaction to vampire priests, but I think we showed enough reverence and respect in general for the Catholic Church to temper elements that some might consider blasphemous.

Rhodes Review: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Jim: I must have a Rockstar energy drink before I start my workday (and I believe that company owes me shares for the number of times I’ve plugged them).

Rebecca: I wrote the scariest parts of The Blood Gospel at the beach in the sunshine. I wrote another book on the subway.

Rhodes Review: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Rebecca: Read. Read. Write. Every day. And have fun.

Jim: Exactly. With the caveat that you should write from a place of passion. If you’re bored with the subject matter, it will come through.

Rhodes Review: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in writing your books?

Rebecca: How well some of the history of the Catholic Church maps to the world of the Sanguinists—wine turning into the blood of Christ, monks wearing hoods that cover their faces from sunlight, the requirements that monks be celibate, etc.

Jim: It was rather disturbing that the more we compared the tropes of the Catholic Church to the mythology of vampires, the more we uncovered…and are still discovering.

Rhodes Review: What do you think makes a good story?

Jim: Pairing up characters who a reader cares deeply about with a plot that raises the stakes throughout the novel.

Rebecca: Vivid characters in interesting worlds solving hard problems in unexpected ways. Plus: FUN!

Rhodes Review: What was your favorite part of Innocent Blood?

Jim: In this novel, we introduce a relatively young vampire-priest named Christian. He’s the young buck tossed amidst his centuries’ old colleagues. I loved the dynamic of his humanity still shining through—along with his humor.

Rebecca: All of the scenes with Elizabeth Bathory. She was a fascinating character to follow around—strong, independent, ruthless, but also very complicated.

Rhodes Review: What was the hardest part to write in Innocent Blood?

Rebecca: The scenes where Elizabeth is badly burned and Rhun tends to her. My father was badly burned when I was five, and those scenes gave me nightmares.

Jim: I think it was the climax of the novel, where the fate of a young boy hung in the balance. We were back and forth on his final fate.

Rhodes Review: What do you wish was different about Innocent Blood?

Rebecca: I could edit on parts forever, but overall I’m pretty happy with it.

Jim: I love doorstopper novels. If the market would allow us for that book to be 200 pages longer—to fill in more details, more background, more action—I would be thrilled. But perhaps a leaner and tighter story is best in the end anyway. Maybe down the line, Rebecca and I will write some compendium about this complicated, darkly beautiful world.

Rhodes Review: What are some of your favorite authors/books?

Jim: Michael Crichton still holds a place close to my heart, and I was sorry we lost him so young. I used his novel, Jurassic Park, as a template for “How to Write a Novel” when I was working on my first thriller, Subterranean.

Rebecca: This year I loved the Justin Kronin vampire series: The Passage and The Twelve. Right now I’m working my way through the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series—I love the characters and the fact that it’s always sunny in Botswana.

Rhodes Review: If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Rebecca: The living one. Dead people take away my appetite. 

Jim: And zombies are not great conversationalists. If I have to pick one person, it would be Mark Twain. If nothing else, there would be good whiskey and lots of hilarious anecdotes.

Rhodes Review: Which question are you most sick of answering in interviews?

Rebecca: So far, none of them. Ask me at the end of the tour, and I might have an answer.

Jim: It’s “Where do you get your Ideas from?” I dislike this question, because I don’t really know for sure, and I’m afraid if you make me look too closely at the process, that font of ideas will dry up to dust.

Rhodes Review: How do the two of you collaborate living in two different countries?

Rebecca: Lots of email, and Skyping early in Jim’s day and late in mine.

Jim: I talk a lot by waving my hands, so video conferencing via Skype is a great asset.

Rhodes Review: How do you get it to read as one author?

Rebecca: Relentless editing.

Jim: And then more editing.

Rhodes Review: Will the series continue after the third one or will there be another series?

Jim: Rebecca and I have an entire second trilogy vaguely mapped out. It will depend greatly on how well the books are received.

Rebecca: And that we’re not burned at the stake by the end of the first trilogy.

Rhodes Review: Where do you get the ideas? Do you do a storyboard first together or separately?

Jim: See! I knew that was coming. I am going to sit quietly in the corner with my hands over my ears and let Rebecca answer that.

Rebecca: For INNOCENT BLOOD, we did an outline together via Skype, and relied on the World Bible that we created when we were writing THE BLOOD GOSPEL. And we’re always firing off emails to each other when we come up with new ideas. Would it be cool if… kind of stuff.

We’d like to thank Mr. Rollins and Ms. Cantrell for taking the time to answer some questions for our readers.

Review: Blood Brothers – James Rollins & Rebecca Cantrell

Monday, December 9th, 2013
Print Length: 64 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse (October 22, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: n/a
ISBN-13: 978-n/a
Order e-book here:
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Characters:

Arthur Crane – A reporter investigating a mysterious series of Deaths and looking for his brother Christian.
Officer Miller – Police Officer performing security at a funeral.

Synopsis:

Reporter Arthur Crane is investigating a group known as the Belial. An orchid is left in his room, and leads him to a series of brutal murders. He’s also concerned with the disappearance of his brother Christian. How are all these events connected?

Review

I’d never read James Rollins before. Religious based fiction has never been a huge draw to me, but I found myself pulled into this story and wanted to know more. It was an excellent leadin to the followup novel Blood Innocent.  For such a short story, the authors managed to pack a lot of action and story into the pages.  It definitely accomplished its purpose of making me eager to read the followup novel, which I also review.

About the Authors

James Rollins is the New York Times bestselling author of thrillers translated into forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the “top crowd pleasers” (New York Times) and one of the “hottest summer reads” (People magazine).

Acclaimed for his originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets—and he does it all at breakneck speed. Find James Rollins on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, and at www.jamesrollins.com.

Rebecca Cantrell’s Hannah Vogel mystery novels have won the Bruce Alexander and Macavity awards and have been nominated for the Barry and RT Reviewers Choice awards; her critically acclaimed novel, iDrakula, was nominated for the APPY award and listed on Booklist’s Top 10 Horror Fiction for Youth.

She and her husband and son just left Hawaii’s sunny shores for adventures in Berlin. Find Rebecca Cantrell on Facebook, and Twitter, and at www.rebeccacantrell.com.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Danielle at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Innocent Blood – James Rollins & Rebecca Cantrell

Monday, December 9th, 2013
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (December 10, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: ISBN-10: 0061991066
ISBN-13: 978-ISBN-13: 978-0061991066
Order book here:

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Order E-book here:
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Characters:

Christian Crane – A Member of the Sanguines
Dr. Erin Granger – A College Professor of Archaeology.
Sergeant Jordan Stone – A Military Forensics Expert.

Synopsis:

Father Ruhn Karza has disappeared. Dr. Erin Granger and Sgt. Jordan Stone are pulled back into action against the forces of evil. A mysterious figure known as Damnatus and a woman involved in the disappearance of Father Kuhn join in a race against time to either bring about or prevent the end of the world.

Review

This was a great adventure. There was the introduction of many figures from history. While it started out a little slow, once I got into the swing of the story, I couldn’t quit turning the pages. While it’s not exactly my cup of tea, I found myself enjoying it. For the average fantasy fan, you may find it a bit to religousy, but for fans of religious fiction and fans of the author(s), I’m sure you’d love every minute of it.

Much of the plot tied to the book of Revelations. As it does touch on dark topics, it would be way too dark for young readers so I’d say adults and 17 or over is the most likely audience. I was surprised at how something listed as Christian Fiction could actually be so dark, but I found myself really enjoying it, and want to go back and read more about the Sanguines and the Belial’s. There is also one scene of sex that may offend some with more prudent tastes. Overall though, I found the book enjoyable and would recommend it.

About the Authors

James Rollins is the New York Times bestselling author of thrillers translated into forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the “top crowd pleasers” (New York Times) and one of the “hottest summer reads” (People magazine).

Acclaimed for his originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets—and he does it all at breakneck speed. Find James Rollins on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, and at www.jamesrollins.com.

Rebecca Cantrell’s Hannah Vogel mystery novels have won the Bruce Alexander and Macavity awards and have been nominated for the Barry and RT Reviewers Choice awards; her critically acclaimed novel, iDrakula, was nominated for the APPY award and listed on Booklist’s Top 10 Horror Fiction for Youth.

She and her husband and son just left Hawaii’s sunny shores for adventures in Berlin. Find Rebecca Cantrell on Facebook, and Twitter, and at www.rebeccacantrell.com.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Danielle at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats – Connie Corcoran Wilson

Thursday, December 5th, 2013
Paperback: 32 pagesPublisher: Quad City Press (October 22, 2013)Language: EnglishISBN-10: 0982444869

ISBN-13: 978-0982444863

Order book here:

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Order E-book here:
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Review

A cute children’s books about white lab rats who get out and have the Chrismas Cats help round them up. It’s written in verse with a beat similar to a Doctor Seuss story. The book teaches children not to judge, and to keep an open mind about the differences of others.

The poetic prose is accompanied by beautiful and whimsical cartoon imagery by Gary McCluskey. I thought it was a sweet little book, and if I had children I’d definitely have it as one to read to them. Suitable for all ages.

Thanks to Teddy at Virtual Author Book Tours we are able to give away one copy in either print or ebook.  To get a chance to win, see our giveaway Here

 

Tour Schedule

Daddy Blogger Dec 1 Live Video Interview
So Many Precious Books Dec 2 Review & Giveaway
Deal Sharing Aunt Dec 2 Review
Daddy Blogger Dec 3 Review
Mrs. Mommy Booknerds Dec 3 Review
Joy Story Dec 3 Review
Saving For Six Dec 4 Review
Rhodes Review   Dec 5 Review & Giveaway
Sincerely Stacie  Dec 6 Review
VW Stitcher Dec 9 Review
Books, Books & More Books Dec 10 Review
Jolly Blogger Dec 10 Review
Practical Frugality Dec 11 Review & Giveaway
The News in Books Dec 11 Review
The News in Books Dec 16 Interview
The Crypto-Capers Review Dec 12 Review
Stories from Unknown Authors Dec 12 Live Interview  at 1 pm EST
Carole Rae Random Ramblings Dec 13 Review
Little Lovely Books Dec 13 Review
Bea’s Book Nook Dec 16 Review & Giveaway
Identity Discovery Dec 16 Review
Reviewing Novels on Line Dec 17 Review
Manic Mama of 2 Dec 17 Review
Hott Books Dec 18 Review
Laura’s Reviews Dec 18  Review
Sweeps for Bloggers Dec 19 Review & Giveaway
Allison’s Book Bag Dec 20 Review
Allison’s Book Bag Dec 19 Interview
Sweet Southern Home  Dec 23 Review
Chaos Is a Friend of Mine Dec 24 Review & Giveaway

About the Author

Constance Wilson graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in English and Journalism, but she began writing for her hometown (Independence, Iowa) newspaper at the age of 10 and was Editor-in-Chief of her high school newspaper. She continued her education, including a Ferner/Hearst Journalism Scholarship and a Freshman Merit Scholarship at Iowa, and then at Berkeley, WIU, NIU and the University of Chicago. Connie holds a Masters (+30) in English, Journalism and Education. Her career path led to teaching 7th and 8th grade language arts (Silvis, Illinois) and teaching writing at 6 IA/IL colleges or universities, including a class teaching film at Black Hawk Junior College. She then established the second Sylvan Learning Center in the state of Iowa and a Prometric Testing site, in conjunction with ETS of Princeton, NJ. She has taught writing and literature classes at all 6 IA/ILQuad City colleges.

Constance lives in East Moline, Illinois with husband Craig and in Chicago, Illinois, where her son, Scott and daughter-in-law Jessica and their four-year-old twins Elise and Ava reside. Her daughter, Stacey, a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, recently returned from a year spent living and working in Australia and now lives and works in Nashville,Tennessee.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Teddy at Virtual Book Tours for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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