2013 Whitney Finalists ~ how many have you read?

2013 Finalists

Purchase tickets to the Whitney Awards, which will be held on April 26th, 2014, here.

General

Love Letters of the Angels of Death	Mile 21	Road to Bountiful	Ruby’s Secret	The House at Rose Creek
Jennifer Quist	Sarah Dunster	Donald Smurthwaite	Heather B. Moore	Jenny Proctor*

Historical

Belonging to Heaven	Esther the Queen	Safe Passage	The Mounds Anomaly	Where the River Once Flowed
Gale Sears	Heather B. Moore	Carla Kelly	Phyllis Gunderson	Jennie Hansen

Romance

Blackmoore	Hearth Fires	Longing for Home	Second Chances	The Orchard
Julianne Donaldson	Dorothy Keddington	Sarah M. Eden	Melanie Jacobson	Krista Lynne Jensen

Mystery/Suspense

Rocky Road	Deep Cover	I, Spy	Finding Sheba	Spy for a Spy
Josi S. Kilpack	Traci Hunter Abramson	Jordan McCollum*	Heather B. Moore	Jordan McCollum

Speculative

Dark Memories	Echo in Time	Heart of the Ocean	The Witnesses	Winter Queen
Jeffrey S. Savage	C. J. Hill	Heather B. Moore	Stephanie Black	Amber Argyle

Young Adult—Speculative

Friends and Traitors: Slayers 2	Insomnia	Pivot Point	Steelheart	Blackout
C. J. Hill	J. R. Johansson*	Kasie West*	Brandon Sanderson	Robison Wells

Young Adult—General

All the Truth That’s in Me	Chasing June	Dead Girls Don’t Lie	Going Vintage	The Distance Between Us
Julie Berry	Shannen Crane Camp	Jennifer Shaw Wolf	Lindsey Leavitt	Kasie West

Middle Grade

Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor’s Secret	RUMP: The True Story of Rumplestilskin	Sky Jumpers	Wednesdays in the Tower	The Runaway King
Chad Morris*	Liesel Shurtliff*	Peggy Eddleman*	Jessica Day George	Jennifer A. Nielsen

*Of these finalists, the following titles are also eligible for Best Novel by a New Author 2013:
The House at Rose Creek by Jenny Proctor
I, Spy by Jordan McCollum
Insomnia by J.R. Johansson
Pivot Point by Kasie West
Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor’s Secret by Chad Morris
RUMP: The True Story of Rumplestilskin by Liesel Shurtliff
Sky Jumpers by Peggy Eddleman
New last year: All finalists in the Adult categories (Mystery, Historical, General, Romance, Speculative) are eligible for Best Novel of the Year.
New last year: All finalists in the Youth categories (Middle Grade, YA General, YA Speculative) are eligible for Best Novel in Youth Fiction.
Academy Members have until April 13th, 2014, to read the finalists in whatever categories they want to vote in. To vote for Best Novel of the Year you must read all of the adult category finalists. To vote for Best Novel in Youth Fiction, you must read all of the youth category finalists. For information on how to join the Academy, click HERE

I'm going! Are you?

 

BOOK REVIEW Alma by H.B. Moore

King Noah is thundering with rage. On Amulon’s watch, the former high priest Alma disappeared from the city of Nephi, and every night more believers manage to escape. The king threatens certain punishment unless Amulon recaptures Alma—a seemingly impossible task.

But Amulon has a plan. An equally valuable prisoner is at his fingertips: Noah’s wife, Maia, whose newfound faith means bitter humiliation for the king and an opportunity for Amulon to seize power.

Amulon’s disavowed daughter Raquel is making plans of her own. Alma and his followers are building a colony by the waters of Mormon, and she’s determined to begin a new life there despite the deep grief she suffers daily as Abinadi’s widow.

Abinadi’s watchful brother Helam deems the journey to Mormon too risky, but when Lamanites plunder and burn the settlement, Raquel has no choice but to flee with her young son.

Drama and danger escalate as Alma the Elder organizes the Lord’s church and baptizes its members, bringing an outpouring of divine grace and power. But even as they rejoice, the believers have profound and perilous trials to face, from the outward threat of Amulon’s treachery to the inward threat of pride and disobedience.

With poignant emotion, gripping suspense, and rich inspiration, this new epic story from H.B. Moore vividly brings the Book of Mormon to life.

I am not one that usually reads novels based on scripture for two reasons: first, many times the stories are not accurate and second, I tend to internalize the story and it mixes up in my daily scripture reading.

But Heather's books are different. Heather's writing is descriptive and accurate which keeps me IN the story. I can almost see, touch and smell the areas where the story takes place. She brings the scriptures alive in very readable way.

Heather is good at making her readers root for the good guys and boo the bad guys. A few story lines made me angry and wonder how things could get better. Other story lines gave me hope.

I see Alma different in my studies now and feel I have internalized him possibly in the way he really was 'way back then'. I've hopefully come to see Book of Mormon heroes as real, third dimensional people, thanks to Heathers writing!

Check Heather's website and blog!

Want to buy her book? Try Barnes & Noble, Deseret Book, Seagull Book or Amazon

Methods of Madness by Stephanie Black

WOW!
Stephanie Black, you scare me, in a good author way.

It's been three years sincethe terrible night Emily Ramsey suffered a double tragedy-the death of her sister and the disappearance of her fiance. She deserves another chance at happiness, and gentle, adorable Zach Sullivan is the perfect man to mend her shattered heart. But from the moment Emily opens the hand-carved box holding a glittering diamond solitaire, she's seized by an unshakable fear: she's going to lose Zach.

That's exactly what Monica, Zach's es-girlfriend, is banking on. Bitter with envy, Monica will stop at nothing to sabotage Zach and Emily's romance. a troubling note shows up in Emily's mailbox, fanning the flames of suspicion. a bloody photograph sends her reeling. But when someone is brutally murdered, will Emily be able to escape suspicion and the possibility that she might be next?

I have been humbled in my claims to pick out the bad guy(s) in books. I sorta guessed in Stephanie's book but she always threw in some reasonable doubt and I couldn't quite place the murderer. I was getting annoyed with a few characters which shows Stephanie's ability to craft her characters; each had a unique voice (and something that annoyed me). And she weaves them through each other, which twists and turns the plot until I was unsure of myself solving the mystery. The mystery is intriguing and the story moves along quickly. I wanted to keep reading to see WHO DONE IT! Stephanie kept me hooked from the first page.

When I thought of Stephanie writing this story, she scared me. I wondered if it scared her to write some of the story? Maybe I will interview her and we will find out together!

Good job again, Stephanie!

Saving Madeline by Rachel Ann Nunes

WELCOME to my blog! Today is dedicated to Rachel Ann Nunes. She has many, many great books she has written. Try one today!

Everyone who comments on this review will be entered to win a free book at the end of the tour...

Saving Madeline by Rachel Ann Nunes

As a public defender, Caitlin McLoughlin dreams of someday locking the bad guys in prison instead of defending them. But prosecuting jobs are scarce, and Caitlin’s future seems bleak. When her current client is about to walk away from a brutal crime, she risks her career to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else. Yet what if her choice means sacrificing her career and the means care for her mentally disabled sister?

Then Caitlin meets Parker Hathaway, charged with kidnapping four-year-old Madeline. Just another criminal, another job, Caitlin thinks.

But Parker tells a far different story. Can Caitlin believe him, as her heart urges? Is she willing to put everything on the line to defend her client—a man who claims to be protecting the child he loves? Or is her trust better placed in the handsome deputy district attorney with his undefeated record in court? Caitlin’s pursuit of the truth swiftly thrusts her into a maze of unanswered questions and unexpected heartache.

Meanwhile, time is running out for Madeline. If Caitlin doesn't find the proof she is looking for soon, there may not be a future for any of them.

I enjoyed Rachel's newest book and had a hard time putting it down. Each character had his/her own voice and compelled me to read and understand their story.

The story in itself was fast paced and drew me in; I wanted justice served, lives to become better and love won!

I can't tell you if everything worked out how I wanted or I would spoil the story. Be assured, you will not waste your time reading this book.

Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

The Fablehaven series just keeps getting better!

I bought #4 hoping it would be a keeper like the other three and I wasn't disappointed.




In the magical world that Kendra and Seth, brother and sister, have been thrown into, there is an evil plot. A plot to open the great demon prison and destroy the earth! Wah hahaha (evil laughter)
Kendra, Seth, their grandparents (who are caretakers of Fablehaven) and others will try and stop the evil mastermind. But who is it? And how can they stop him/her?
Two hidden artifacts have been found. Three more remain uncovered. If all artifacts end up in the hands of the bad guys, the demon prison can be opened. Kendra learns of the location of the key to one of the artifacts and it is decided to move it to another location. But there are many obstacles in the way...and betrayal!

Every character we have come to know throughout the series has grown and matured, even Seth! :) Mr. Mull has given each character their own quirks, strengths and voice. The story flowed well and the descriptions of the magical places were just right.
The magical creatures Mr. Mull introduced were all believable (I love that one has a crush on Kendra), scary and unique.

There is plenty of laughs, tension, twists to keep this story moving right up to the end and the betrayal. (Personal prideful note: I guessed the person in book 3 but was thrown off by the personality in book 4 so didn't suspect!)
And once again, I LOVE the lessons taught throughout the book! Thank you, Brandon Mull, for teaching good life lessons!
And thank you for writing a clean book that I can recommend to any parent or YA without any trepidation!

Wings by Aprilynne Pike BOOK REVIEW

For her first book, Aprilynne has woven an intriguing tale of humans and fairies.


Laurel seems like your average teenager, except she's not. She has been homeschooled all her life until her family moves. Her mother insists she go to public school where she enters as a sophomore. Oh. And Laurel is beautiful and the cutest guy at school likes her.
Her fathers dream of owing and running a bookstore comes true and the family move about an hour away from the cabin Laurel grew up in. The cabin is surrounded by woods, which Laurel loves.
Laurel has little quirks like: eating only fruit or drinking Sprite. She likes to be outdoors, especially in the sun. She isn't bothered by cold weather. And she can hold her breath for like, 15 minutes.
Then she gets a bump on her back which she is sure is cancer.
Then the bump blossoms.

And now Laurel has a huge flower growing out of her back which almost looks like wings.
Who can she confide in? She doesn't want to become a science experiment. She turns to one person she wants to trust: the cute guy, David.
David is stunned but trusts Laurel and has to believe her when she shows him her back. He is amazingly supportive.
Laurel goes back to her cabin to find answers and mets Tamani who is like Laurel: a fairy. The area is protected by fairies because of the secret they know. You'll have to read the book to find out the secret...
At the same time her mother is trying to sell the cabin that has been in her family for years and her father is hospitalized for some unknown toxin.
Come to find out, there are also trolls living in the neighborhood. Bad guys.

This story was easy to read and the flowed right along. The characters were believable. The story was believable.
And I once again believe in fairies.

Book Review-'Loyality's Web' by Joyce DiPastena

"Loyalty's Web' by Joyce DiPastena


Do you enjoy medieval stories? Romance? Intrigue? Sinister plots? Than "Loyalty's Web" by Joyce DiPastena is a story you will want to read.


King Henry II of England has just finished crushing a rebellion his sons have started. Peace treaties have been signed and barons whose loyalty were to the Princes have been pardoned-for now.
To make sure princes and barons are following the terms of the treaty, the King has sent the Earl of Gunthar to stay with the Laurants. Not many are happy to see the kings representative and several assassination attempts are tried.

As Gunthar tries to ensure the peace treaty is kept, he also must solve the mystery of who is trying to kill him, find a spy or two, fall in love and get out of being betrothed. Throw in several plot twists and you have quite a story that must be read to the very last page.

From the start of the book the reader is immersed in the a story set in medieval times. Ms. DiPastena wove history and storytelling well.

The characters were lovable and despicable and I found myself wanting the bad guys to be taken care of RIGHT NOW! I felt along with the characters as they faced their conflicting desires of love and loyalty. The webs of both are hard to unravel once they are intertwined.
Every character had a goal and tried to reach that goal in whatever way they could. And each character had great personality, depth and faults. It was interesting to watch where their paths led them.

An enjoyable read!

Book Review

The Duke of Kielder strikes fear in any man and respect from a distance. Having no heir, he must leave his estate to someone he believes is an idiot. But the Duke's scarred face also makes him believe he will never marry. The Duke bribes a poor family with an obscene amount of money to secure the hand of a daughter, who accepts on behalf of her family.  So the Duke's problems are over, right? 

He thinks because the girl comes from a poor family that she is ugly. But his first glimpse of Persephone on their wedding day is opposite and now he is not sure his plan is right.

He hasn't counted on his bride being kind, gentle, loving and unmoved by his scars. Ms. Eden has painted a rich picture of love, trust and respect on the background of a Regency Romance. The characters are likable and I found myself silently urging the Duke to change his ways (can you say Darcy?). Persephone was easy to like and as was her younger sister. Very enjoyable summer read!

Book Review

Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind by Heidi Ashworth

Ginny is the niece of a dowager who LOVES her roses. She can not get into town to check on her roses or to make sure that some doesn't steal any clippings of her prized roses. The dowager schemes to get Ginny engaged and sends her to check on the roses with Sir Anthony as an escort. Sir Anthony is very proper while Ginny speaks her mind and neither cared for the other. But from the beginning fate conspires against the couple. The are stranded by a highwayman and thus starts their adventure.

Ginny and Sir Anthony are forced into each others company as they are stuck at a family members home and the battle of words, wit and misread cues are constant. Both Ginny and Sir Anthony soon find themselves drawn into games and trying to reveal the real person in each other.

And the dowager's roses? You will have to read the book to find out....
Great book for summer reading!

Book Review Time "Agent In Old Lace"

Agent in Old Lace by Trist Pinkston


This book is a deviation from Tristi's historical work. I was anxious to see how she did in another genre but I shouldn't have been nervous! Agent In Old Lacy is cute, witty, suspenseful and entertaining! Oh! I forgot, romantic. Just a little. Not a lot of mushy stuff (as my kids would say).

Shannon Tanner, our heroine, has a great life; perfect boyfriend, loving parents, great BBF and good job.
We find out almost from page one that the boyfriend, Mark, is not as perfect as he seems. Shannon doesn't want to believe he is bad but when he tries to kill her she has no problem believing. Mark doesn't give up trying to harm her, he is wanting for many other crimes and now the FBI is involved.
Shannon is given a protector named Rick Holden who must appear as Shannon's 'aunt' in an attempt to lure Mark out of hiding. But Mark's plan affect and hurt in some way everyone around Shannon so she has to try and bring Mark to her and hopefully, custody.
Will Mark be brought to justice? Will Rick and Shannon fall in love? Will Rick get over having to wear make-up? You must read Tristi's Agent In Old Lace to find out!

I did figure out one twist really early in the book...I guess I watch TV or read too much! Good job, Tristi! Keep 'em coming! BTW:
Did you think of something to write when signing Agent? How about 'A man is only as good as his makeup'? 'Ice cream solves everything'?
I know! "Retail therapy works :P"!