Vernon House

It is so hard at times to know a good book from a great book simply based on the cover, but I am immediately drawn to pick this one up because I am a huge fan of creepy suspenseful books. In fact before I became a Christian, I was drawn to that genre. Doesn't this one look amazing? It's a powerful story tucked into a small amount of time, but trust me, by the time you get to the end, you will be sad that it is over. To me, a sign of an exceptional novel, compelling storyline and fantastic writing. Sandra Russel Farris, you have me sold on this one.

Vernon House is part historical and past ghost story. Fans of Stephen King, James Rupart, Ted Dekker and Greg Mitchell with LOVE this short story. Jennifer Hayes is what you would call a restoration specialist and bonafide house flipper. She's been buying homes, fixing them up and selling them for a tidy profit, but in the case of Vernon House, a Queen Anne Victorian, this is a definite keeper. Despite the rumors that the house is believed to be haunted, she doesn't believe in ghosts and hopes to eventually live here once the renovations are complete. Undeterred by the noises she can't explain she uncovers a set of stairs to the attic that have been boarded up behind an old closet.

As she ventures upstairs, she finds what one would expect to find in an old attic, boxes and trunks of stuff belonging to the former owners of the home, Herbert and Rosalyn Vernon. When she opens an old domed hinged travel trunk, she finds an old wedding dress wrapped in tissue paper along with a letter. It is addressed to Mrs. Vernon and provides details that the person she wanted taken care of will no longer pose a problem and is expecting the promised payment along with vague initials R. M. It is a definite mystery to solve and soon becomes very apparent as Jennifer uncovers the murder plot of the former owner Herbert Vernon that some spirits want to ensure that secret stays dead and buried. But there are no such things as ghosts, or are there?

I received Vernon House by Sandra Farris compliments of the author herself without any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions contained here are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and read it in just under an hour. The suspense is amazing in such a short story and really drives the momentum of the story to its cliff hanger ending of sorts, leaving the option open to continue to saga, which this reader hopes she will do in the very near future. The characters are definitely believable and my favorite hands down is Herbert Vernon. I can't wait to read many more like this in the future if Sandra Farris is expecting to expand her literary genres and easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars. This book is currently available as an eBook for your favorite electronic reader at this time.

For more information about Vernon House, Sandra Farris or where you can pick up a copy of this eBook today, please click on the links below:

Vernon House by Sandra Farris

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You can pick up this eBook at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. 

Hobo

If you're looking for a delightful story with a beautiful message of love and hope for your teenage child, then look no further than Hobo by Sandra Farris. It's truly a short story of a boy named Joby Richards who while out exploring around the woods and lands near his house, he comes across a dog he calls Hobo. Hobo is actually a tan-colored dog who belongs to Mr. Robbins, a local hermit and trapper who is usually gone for long periods of time, often leaving his dog behind.

Joby has a really affection for the dog and begs his parents, Sarah and Ben Richards to let him take care of the dog while Mr. Robbins is away from his home. While considering his offer, his parents insist that he gets permission from Mr. Robbins first but until Joby does, they insist he keep some distance between himself and the dog considering he seems a bit wild at times.

However when a stranger shows up at the Richards farm one day in need of help, they learn he has been attacked by a local dog that fits the description of Hobo. His parents remind Joby that the dog doesn't belong to him and he may be in danger if he gets too close. The stranger, a man named Smith tells the family he isn't done with the dog and if he sees him again, he will shoot the dog.

I will leave the rest of this delightful story a mystery and will have to say that it truly does have a powerful message behind it. It's also a must for pet lovers everywhere!!! I received Hobo by Sandra Farris compliments of the author for my honest review and I have to say it reminds me a bit of a shorter version of Old Yeller which has always been a classic and a favorite of mine! I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars! This book is available on ebook format!

For more information on Hobo, Sandra Farris, and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Hobo by Sandra Farris

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Obituary Column - Giveaway and Review

Tracy Chapman has a very unusual job. It arrives with the morning paper and involves reading the obituary column. She isn't interested in treasure hunting but helping those out that appear to have no family to speak of in the obituary. She has become a self appointed detective trying to make sure people don't die without someone knowing about them. She has taken on the task after her brother went missing for 5 years without a trace. Then she tracked down a clue that lead her to her brother being labeled a John Doe that had been murdered in Florida. Since none of the missing person descriptions matched him, he was buried as a unknown and she vows to make sure that it doesn't happen to any other families.

Tracy is also the owner of an antique story, Another Tyme and along with her partner Amy, they offer to buy furniture and other items at auctions from family estate sales. Only this time when investigating the death of Mr. Samuel Levine, she finds out that there are others out there who have been looking for Mr. Levine for quite some time. As she digs deeper into the contents of Mr. Levine's small apartment, she comes across a journal from his time in Germany during the Holocaust written in German and hopes she can find out if Mr. Levine had any family she can contact.

On her way back home one evening, she is almost forced off the road and killed in a game of cat and mouse with the driver of an unknown vehicle. Thinking nothing of the event and the connection between the two, she begins to unravel a story that she hopes will unite Mr. Levine with the family he left behind and was never able to contact during all his travels in America. However someone else from Mr. Levine's past is out to make sure that never happens and will do whatever it takes to find what he's been searching for all these years.



In the novel, Obituary Column by Sandra and Dan Farris, Tracy Chapman works with a team of close friends and detectives to try and piece the past of an old man's life together to reunite a family separated by war while trying to work time in to compete in a kickboxing tournament and settle a long-distance relationship with a cattle rancher named Michael. This is a great story line for a murder-mystery crime novel and one that is short enough to feel like a full length one. It keeps the reader engaged and on the path to help solve this mystery.

I received Obituary Column compliments of Sandra Farris for my honest review and have to say I really enjoyed this one. The premise was entertaining and different from your typical murder/mystery novels and is subsequently being made into a movie, called the Treasure Within. I guess it's every author's dream to have their books made into a movie and I know you'll love the story you'll find within the covers of this one, and or that reason, I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the authors and where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Obituary Column by Sandra and Dan Farris

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Thank to the generosity of Sandra Farris, she is offering to personalize a copy of Obituary Column to one lucky reader of my blog who leaves a comment. Here's your guidelines:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you have already "Liked" my page, just leave me a comment.

3. "Like" Obituary Column on Amazon by clicking here.

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy. Don't forget to include your email since I need a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The giveaway will end on August 9th, and I will notify the winner by email and also post it on my Reviews From The Heart, Facebook page.

Can You Hear The Music? ~ Review and Giveaway

"Listen, son, can you hear the music?"

"What music, Pa? I don't hear anything."

"Stand quiet and listen. Hear the wind singing through the trees, the birds whistling from the meadow and, if you listen really close, you can hear the brook laughing as it runs across the rocks and spills down the hill. That's the music I'm talking about...the music of life. No matter how big or important you may feel when you get older, I hope you will always take the time to stop and listen to that music."

"I don't understand. Those are just ever'day sounds you hear all the time."

"True, they are everyday sounds, but we don't always hear them because we take them for granted. It's the same with people. They are always there but we take them for granted and that is what saddens my heart, for I am as guilty as the rest." He sighed and shook his head. "Listen to the frog. His song is not as beautiful as the bird's and he is truly an ugly creature to you and me, but in his own way he contributes to that music of life. What I am really trying to say, son, is that no matter how insignificant and small a man may seem, he has that right to contribute and he is just as important."



In the novel, Can You Hear The Music by Sandra Farris, the reader is in for a delightful surprise when they begin this story in the life of Corey James, a young nine-year-old girl who finds herself left orphaned in 1919 when a tragic car accident claims the life of both her parents. Her Uncle, George and his wife Lizzie take Corey in, but soon is seems the Corey finds herself the target of abuse from Lizzie. Faced with emotional and physical abuse, Corey finds herself not wanted and it hurts her deeply. Knowing only that she doesn't like being hurt anymore, she takes her small dog Muffin and slips away into the night searching for love and acceptance in the form of anyone who can provide it.

Lucky for Corey that she has disguised herself as a young boy to avoid being found by her Aunt and Uncle, and finds the most unlikely friend in the form of a hobo named Andy Curruthers. Andy relates to Corey's situation being orphaned at the age of ten and vows to help him learn the ways of life traveling the rails and seeing the world.

I received this novel compliments of Sandra Farris for my honest review and was so enraptured by this story, I could not put it down once I started. She demonstrates the talents of a great story teller in creating the characters of Corey and Andy. You can't help but wish for them to remain together throughout the book and along the way, they both learn a thing or two about forgiveness and unconditional love. There are a host of lovable supporting characters, Gus Thatcher, Lord Mayor, Injun and even Muffin, her delightful dog who never leaves Corey side no matter how dark things get. I would love to see someone pick this one up and create a beautiful movie from it, and in my opinion this one deserves so much more than my usual 5 out of 5 stars. I would rate this one a 10!

For more information on Can You Hear The Music, Sandra Farris, or where to pick up a copy of this beautiful story today, please click on the links below:

Can You Hear The Music by Sandra Farris

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Thanks to the generosity of Sandra Farris, she's got an extra special surprise for one lucky reader of my blog, Reviews From The Heart, she's going to giveaway a personalized copy of this book for you. Here are your details:

1. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart and leave me a comment.

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Click on the "Like" button for Sandra's book on Amazon, by clicking here. It's next to the title.

4. Leave a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of this book along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

The winner will be notified by email and posted on my Reviews From The Heart Facebook page when the giveaway ends on July 23rd.