The Love Wars

Think of the movies, The War of the Roses and add in a health dose of The Devil Wears Prada and you have the recipe for the novel, The Love Wars by author L. Alison Heller. We all remember the novels or stories that showcase a hardworking newbie attorney working their way up the difficult corporate law field with the best of intentions at heart. This is exactly the case for Molly Grant who lives in New York City working for one of the most prestigious law firms Bacon Payne. Their client base is some of the wealthiest people in the world and when Molly finds that working on the bottom rung a little too long, she opts to work for the Matrimonial Division.

Here under the leadership of high powered attorney Lillian Starling who handled all the firms high-profile divorce cases. It was here you either were on top of her list of favorites, called her 'girls' or you were on top of her hit list meaning you won't last a day once you make it there. Molly just hopes to last long enough to secure what's known as a Payne-ment, which is a bonus equivalent to a years salary so she can pay off the law school loan her parents have had to take out to send her to school. Just under two years to go and she'll have it in the bag and life will get much easier to bear. For now, however it means jumping when Lillian asks her to jump and to not ask how high but to already know how high and to exceed those expectations, working anything less than 16 hour days is unheard of and if you make one simple mistake you can count your career at Bacon Payne a good-bye.

Molly starts to question working for some of this highly demanding clients who seem to think she is there strictly to appease them at all costs instead of handing their law cases. When she finds herself dealing with the wife of one of their clients, Fern Walker. When Lillian asks her to oversee some of the issues regarding the child custody arrangement between the Walkers, Molly finds herself facing a dilemma that probably tries most legitimate attorneys. Is it possible to still work for Bacon Payne and work a legal case against one of their clients? Everything Molly has ever worked for is on the line, but after an episode in Molly's past, she finds that she might have to bend the rules a lot to make up for a possible second chance to do something noble and worthwhile instead of merely winning another divorce case.

I received The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller compliments of Penguins Publishers and Book Sparks Book Tours for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is a great look at what the world of high-profile family law looks like from the outside. It seems that even though the cases are similar, in the world of the rich and wealthy, no demand is too small for some. It shows you what can ultimately happen when good people stand up for those that need it the most. I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars due to my personal rating system. The book does contain some profanity and thus the reason for a lower rating. If you ever wanted to know what working for a law firm that deals with the high profile cases looks like, you might just want to pick this one up. Truly some of the things that the attorneys have to work with are a bit on the outrageous side and really makes you wonder just how true this novel might be to the real world. I know personally I could not work for Bacon Payne. I think sometimes people fail to remember the innocent people that will become collateral damage in the process of some divorce cases.

For more information about The Love Wars, L. Alison Heller or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller

You can also find L. Alison Heller on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (May 7, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451416236
• ISBN-13: 978-0451416230
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches 

Available on paperback or ebook formats at your favorite book retailer. 

Ray of Light

Summertime is the best time to find some exceptional books to take to the beach or lakeside to immerse yourself in and I've got a great recommendation for those of you that love Amish Fiction. Take Shelley Shepard Gray's latest novel from her Days of Redemption Series, Ray of Light. This is the second book in the series and even though it's part of the series, you can pick this one up as a stand alone and still enjoy it just as much as the first one, Daybreak.

In Ray of Light, we meet Amanda Yoder who is living in the beach side Amish town of Pinecraft in Florida. She has spent the last two years attempting to find a way to move forward in her life after losing her husband, Wesley and is raising her daughter Regina on her own. Despite all the help from her in-laws, they don't seem to think that two years is enough time before Amanda can attempt to find a new love for herself and Regina. She hadn't exactly been looking for anyone either but when her next door neighbors brother comes to town, he seems at ease in talking to Regina. She hadn't been socializing much since her father died and it seems she has found a true friend in Roman Keim.

The only problem with this romance is that Roman is strictly in Florida on vacation and is leaving back to Ohio in a week. What will happened between Amanda and Roman? Will they both be willing to walk away from a potential relationship or will one of them be willing to uproot their home and move closer to the other?

I received Ray of Light by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Avon Inspire, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. I've been a huge fan of Shelley's for quite some time and loved the blend of my favorite places Amish country in Ohio alongside a beachfront setting in Florida. It shows just how many times God will show us a ray of light in the darkest of our storms to teach us better things are on our horizon.

In relationship between Amanda and Roman there is hope being restored for each of them in the process. For Amanda its not only about finding love again but finding someone that it suitable for her younger daughter. Regina only makes the process that much easier when she befriends Roman before Amanda realizes what is happening and that relationship between them is genuine. Not just because Roman finds Amanda more than attractive. He understands the trust that must accompany his actions and words in respect to both Amanda and Regina. Now if they can only find a way to make the distance between them work. You'll have to read this one to see what happens along their journey as well for all the families involved. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Ray of Light, Shelley Shepard Gray or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today please click on the links below:

Ray of Light by Shelley Shepard Gray

You can also find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook so you don't miss any of her latest novels.

To read more reviews from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour for Ray of Light, click here.

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Avon Inspire; Original edition (May 14, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062204424
• ISBN-13: 978-0062204424
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.7 x 8 inches 

This is available at your favorite book retailer in paperback, audio and eBook reader formats. 

The Repeat Year

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow morning and found out it was exactly a year prior right down to the day? Everything you did one year ago was the beginning point for where you found yourself today. What would you do if you had the opportunity to relive that year again?

That is just the premise for the latest novel, The Repeat Year by author Andrea Lochen. Not only does Olive Watson wake up on New Year's Day in 2011 with a new beginning but it really is a new opportunity. She finds herself suddenly right back where she was a year ago. Back with her now ex-boyfriend Phil. The very same Phil that broke up with her ten months ago. She's not exactly sure what happened, but all she knows is that she is suddenly provided with an opportunity to fix some mistakes in her life that happened a year ago. Is it possible to move forward with the knowledge of having already lived those mistakes and not yet feel a sense of remorse for having that knowledge to help you with making different choices. It's not exactly like you can leave those feelings behind just because you have a chance to make things right in the lives of the people you dealt with that previous year. Is there even a point to having this happen?

I received The Repeat Year by Andrea Lochen compliments of Penguin Publishers and Book Sparks Tours for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one. This is like an expanded version of Groundhog Day only it takes some unexpected twists and turns when you have 365 days to do over again. Unlike Groundhog Day where the concept was the same day over and over again, Olive has a year to find the one thing that has brought her back to doing the year over again with no clue as to what that is. Is it the opportunity to stay living with her roommate Kerrigan instead of moving out, is it a chance to fall in love with her ex-boyfriend Phil and possibly get married, or rekindle some family relationships that she burned in the first go around, or is it something she never considered about how her interactions with someone needed a second chance? Maybe repeat years aren't just redoes for quick fixes, but they're last chances.

Based on my personal review criteria I have to rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars. Not for the storyline but based on the profanity contained in the beginning of the book that readers might find offensive. However, the story is amazing. I found myself wondering what I would do if faced with the same challenges that Olive did. What if what I thought needed changing wasn't the reason I had the opportunity to redo that year again and I had to repeat it again until I did? This is definitely a unique concept and I found I could relate to a lot of decisions that Olive makes. It makes you see the people you often take for granted in your life and when given the chance to revisit them again, you realize what a gift a repeat year could be. This book makes for a perfect addition to your summer reading list and I'd love to see this one brought to the big screen some day.

For more information about the Repeat Year, Andrea Lochen, or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Repeat Year by Andrea Lochen

You can also follow Andrea Lochen on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

Before Terror Strikes

"Evil...prevails when good people do nothing." ~ Edmund Burke

In today's world more than ever the need to be observant and diligent wherever we go is something we all need to take seriously. In light of the recent mass shootings, being more diligent in what is normal and what isn't could be the best line of defense we can apply to any situation. I think far too many people think what happens around them is strictly none of their business, but when these same people are interviewed after the event, they all say the same thing. "I knew there was just something about that person that didn't feel right."

In the book, Before Terror Strikes: Learn The Tactical Mindsets and Skillsets Necessary To Survive A Terrorist Event Before It Occurs, author William Michael Seddon Sr. takes readers into some simple things we can do to get us out of our day to day routines and become more hyper aware of our surroundings. It's these simple strategies that may in fact save our lives the next time something like this should happen.

In the beginning of the book, the author asks some very powerful questions to see what your initial response would be to any of these situations: What would you do if you found yourself taking sniper fire in a parking lot? Or shopping in a crowded mall when someone begins spraying automatic weapons fire? What if you were picking up your luggage at the airport, and someone started throwing hand grenades? What would you do?

This short but concise book details the inner workings of such terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and how they have changed strategy's in looking for smaller attacks around the world to accomplish their intents and purposes. He showcases what some safe options might be if you find yourself in any of the situations above and some simple things we can do when traveling to make ourselves a less likely threat and target. He instructs readers to be more vigilant on anniversaries of other attacks such as the one that occurred in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012.

I received Before Terror Strikes by William Michael Seddon Sr compliments of Outskirts Press and Bostick Communications for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. In light of all the recent attacks in malls, schools and even abroad, I have found myself paying attention to things a lot more than I would have in the past. In the movie theaters, I watch who comes in and out, and if anyone uses the emergency exits. No longer can we afford to simply be complacent any longer hoping someone else will pay attention for us. While this book is geared to inform, it does not cause you to take up arms and prepare for these events to occur but merely to get you to think a little differently than you may have in the past. For those of you that love books that help you prepare for these types of threats or those who love survival training than this is the perfect book for you. I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars just simply based on the fact I was looking for more meat in the content of this book and it was short, concise and simple at 166 pages.

About the Author William Michael Seddon Sr.
William Michael Seddon Sr., M.S., Certified Anti-Terrorism Specialist, served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps for over 13 years. He was a Marine Training Instructor and is the found of 7th Stratagem, an anti/counterterrorism consulting company.

For more information about Before Terror Strikes, William Michael Seddon Sr, or where you can pick up a copy of this book today please click on the links below:

Before Terror Strikes by William Michael Seddon Sr. 

You can also find more information from the Before Terror Strikes Facebook page.

• Hardcover: 166 pages
• Publisher: Outskirts Press (April 3, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1478717203
• ISBN-13: 978-1478717201
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.4 inches 

You can find this book at your favorite book retailer in hardcover and eBook formats. 

A Season of Mysteries

"But I'm afraid the day is coming when people will, I don't know"-he sought the right words - "push Truth off the map, and set up their preferences as the boundaries in which they'll live."

This is one of my favorite lines from the latest novel from author Rusty Whitener in A Season of Mysteries. This is the sequel to perhaps one of my favorite all time novels, A Season of Miracles which is coming to the big screen very soon. In this novel that group of young boys that we discovered in the first novel, now dubbed the Fellowship of the Rocks have all but grown up after having a life altering time after meeting Rafer Forrester. Now that each of them has found a solid foundation and given their lives to Christ, one of the boys Richard Powell now fifty two, is having real issues in his adult life.

He keeps reflecting in precise detail to one particular time in the year 1976. A time in which the Fellowship of the Rocks spent the year indulging in Boy Scout Campouts, and truly reflects on each boys coming of age story. But it is why Richard keeps remembering this one particular year that is the basis for the book. As he reflects on chronicling this time in writing, he desperately wants to be freed from the memory of the words that seem to haunt him. He can literally remember every single word spoken from that time frame until now and he's desperately searching for an answer in how to free his mind from this unusual gift.

We see Richard Powell, now as a Literary Professor who seems to have grown up with a gift for being able to process information beyond his years. In fact the Fellowship have dubbed Richard, the Brain. He is called upon to meet with members of his church and boyscout leaders to help explain the reason behind the latest mystery sittings of UFO's that appear on a picture one day during their baseball game. Are UFO's real or is there another reason for their random appearance. Not only do Richard and Zack see them during the game, but also Duffey and Willie see them during a late night encounter during a camp out.

Just what does an old man who goes by the nick name Peachy have to do with all the UFO appearances and how does the fact that Richard is now able to utilize a pitch in his baseball game that once taught to him by Peachy can't be taught to anyone else? What does the year 1976 have to do with what is happening to Richard even now? Is it possible to unlearn something once you have been exposed to it? To find out, you'll have to read A Season of Mysteries by Rusty Whitener to find out.

I received A Season of Mysteries by Rusty Whitener compliments of Kregel Publications for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for an honest review. This is such an incredible novel and a different coming of age story for a group of amazing young men you are introduced to. As I was reading this one the movies Stand By Me or even The Goonies, immediately became my focus to the similar group of boys that becomes the Fellowship of the Rocks. The were united by a small gift that Rafer gave them in the first novel and those same rocks have enabled them to bond in amazing ways as they have moved on through high school. Each of them offer something unique to the group and just spending time with them in 1976 provides the reader with the ability to be an invisible part of what happens to them and how they deal with things. It definitely gives you something to think about long after you finish the final page. I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and hope that this isn't the last novel dealing with these young men.

For more information about A Season of Mysteries, Rusty Whitener or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Season of Mysteries by Rusty Whitener

You can find Rusty Whitener on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (April 5, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0825443229
• ISBN-13: 978-0825443220
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches 

Available at your favorite retailer in paperback and eBook reader formats. The best part is that on June 6 and 7th this novel will be available for FREE Download to your Kindle.

For more information about this book, please check out Kregel's website.

Catch A Falling Star

Have you ever seen a falling star? Have you ever made a wish upon a star? Do you believe that those wishes can come true?

Too often in a woman's life, we come to believe all those fairy tales our parents read to us. That there is a happily ever after waiting for all of us, someday, some where, but is it really true?

Kendall Haynes has been wondering about that now that she is thirty-six and it seems like everyone around her is finding their own happily ever after. All of her friends, co-workers and now even her younger sister is getting married while Kendall has nothing going on except an exceptional career as a doctor running her own private practice in Colorado. She's beginning to wonder if all those fairy tales that she heard growing up are simply just stories, ones that will never come true. No marriage, no falling head over heels in love and no family of her own. Just her and Sully, her overly eager goldendoodle. There aren't even any prospects on her immediate horizon.

Gearing up for a dinner with her girlfriends at On the Border to plan their upcoming all girls vacation, she is immediately called into help when a teenage boy seems to be having an allergic reaction to his food and is finding it difficult to breath. Apparently even his father sitting with him, can't recognize the signs and when she intervenes and administers first aid while having him call 911, she is more than upset with his father. However, when Griffin Walker tells her that he is not his father, but brother, she still finds it hard that he doesn't realize how critical food allergies can be and how Ian, his younger brother could have died if not for her quick thinking and intervention.

She soon finds an unlikely prospect on her horizon when it seems like the only thing her and Griffin will ever become is acquaintances, if not enemies. Griffin has his own set of worries with not only dealing with the fact he has been appointed guardian of his younger brother Ian after their parents died in a plane crash, he is also facing his own crisis. He's been grounded as an Air Force pilot fighting bouts of vertigo, until he is well enough to fly again. However it doesn't seem likely that that will ever happen and now matter where he goes in the small town of Colorado, he seems to always wind up face to face with Dr. Kendall Haynes.

I received Catch A Falling Star by author Beth K. Vogt compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is my second book of Beth's and I love the interactions she creates with her characters. They don't fall in love at first sight and in this case, it will take more than a chance encounter to get these two strong willed characters to see what God has placed right in front of them. This is a great story about what goes on in some adoption cases where things don't always go smoothly for the adoptive parents. I think the story is genuine and realistic and gives the reader a different mindset into the lives of adoptive parents than they may have had before reading this one. I know it did for me. I personally rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for many more novels from Beth K. Vogt in the future.

For more information about Catch A Falling Star, Beth K. Vogt or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Catch A Falling Star by Beth K. Vogt

You can find Beth K. Vogt on Facebook to stay up to date with all her last novels.

You can also visit her website by clicking here for even more exciting news from Beth K. Vogt. 

To read more reviews on Catch A Falling Star from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour, please click here. 

Slingshot

If you're a fan of movies like Mission Impossible or any of the Bourne films, then you will love the Spycatcher series from Matthew Dunn as he launches his latest novel, Slingshot into the literary world. The best part of any action adventure novel is when the author has either done his research remarkably well or he has working knowledge of what he is writing about, and in this case Matthew Dunn has both. As a former MI6 field officer, Matthew Dunn was trained in all aspects of intelligence collection, deep-cover deployments, small arms, explosives, military unarmed combat, surveillance, and infiltration, and conducted approximately seventy missions - all of them successful. That to me makes for some incredible background to launch his Spycatcher series of novels.

Now onto the third novel, Slingshot picks up once more with the special agent Will Cochrane who is dispatches to locate a rogue Russian Foreign Intelligence Service double agent who has stolen some important document that no one knows the content of. The only thing that the American handlers do know it that it can kill and now it has fallen into the wrong hands and they need Will Cochrane to find him before its too late. This is your true spy versus spy action packed thriller and Matthew Dunn does an exceptional job at keeping his readers guessing and following along this fast paced suspense thriller. The character of Will Cochrane reminded me of Tom Cruise's portrayal of Jack Reacher, a man who likes to remain the lone wolf but who is often called upon to get the job done when it seems like all else has failed and time is of the essence.

This is truly an unforgettable novel that will have you racing quite literally all over Europe while other countries are using their own agents to find this same document. It literally is filled to the brim with action, excitement, explosions, twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat for its climatic ending. The beginning may get to be a load full of information but if you persevere through it you will see where the action begins to blend and merge to create a fast paced, page turner. I received Slingshot by Matthew Dunn compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. For those of you that LOVE action adventure suspense fiction, than this one is a definite for you. Even though this is part of a larger series, much like Mission Impossible or the Bourne Series, you can pick this one up as a stand alone because this is an entirely different mission for Will Cochrane to solve and thus you can immerse yourself in the content from the get go. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Slingshot, Matthew Dunn or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Slingshot by Matthew Dunn

You can also find Matthew Dunn on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.