Review: Surrender the Dawn by MaryLu Tyndall

Publisher's Description:

You’ll be gasping for air in this seafaring romance by popular author and Christy Award nominee MaryLu Tyndall. Baltimore’s Cassandra Channing will do anything to provide for her family—even if it means hiring the town rogue as a privateer. Luke Heaton is a handsome rake with a tortured past who is blackmailed by the British into selling supplies to their ships just off the coast. Cassandra and Luke’s worlds collide as they are drawn into danger, secrets, romance, and war. But when the British begin to bombard Fort McHenry, how long can they protect their love—and each other?

My Review:

Surrender the Dawn is the third book in Tyndall's Surrender to Destiny series, but does equally well as a 'stand alone' novel. Having never read a Tyndall novel before I can't compare it to her others, but this book has an excellent plot and strong characters.

If you a Tyndall fan, I know you'll love this book - and if you're not a Tyndall fan, it will make you want to purchase more of her work.

My Rating:

Publisher: Barbour Publishing Inc.

Publication Date: 1 August 2011

Note: I received pre-release access to this book free from the publisher via NetGalley for the purposes of review. I am not required to give a positive review, just an honest one. The opinions expressed are my own.

Review: The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan

Publisher's Description:

The Art of Steampunk seeks to celebrate the world of Steampunk: a world filled with beauty and innovation.  A world in which steam power and technology intertwine to create machines that are not only functional and practical, but unique and striking. 

Inside, you will find the fantastical and stunning artwork of Steampunk artists from around the world.  The 17 artists featured on these pages, among the frontrunners of the Steampunk genre, have had their work displayed at an exhibition at The Museum of History of Science at the University of Oxford, UK and have attracted the media attention of BoingBoing, one of the world’s largest blogs.

Their artwork consists of everything from clocks and watches to light fixtures and jewelry, but every piece demonstrates hours of painstaking work and devotion from its creator.  You will find that the artists themselves are just as unique and colorful as their masterpieces.  Fully embracing Steampunk ideology, many have adopted a Victorian alter ego—a mad scientist persona to match the complicated intricacies of their artwork.

The Art of Steampunk brings the vision of the Steampunk artist alive on the page, providing a unique insight into the captivating and dynamic world of a vastly underground genre.

About the Author:


Art Donovan was born and raised in New York City. He is an artist, designer and museum curator with 34 years of full time experience in the arts. From 1980 to 1990 he was the senior designer and head illustrator for Donald Deskey Associates, NYC. (Deskey was the Art Deco master and creator of Radio City Music Hall.) Since 1990, he has specialized in hand crafting custom lighting and illuminated sculptural objects for his company, Donovan Design. A brief list of Donovan Design clients include:

Tiffany & Co, NYC, The University of Baltimore, Md, Churchill Downs, Ky, Benetti Luxury Yachts, Italy, The First Church of Christ Scientist, NY, St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, NV, Four Seasons Resorts Villas, St. Thomas,
Nine Zero Hotel, Boston, Disney Cruise Lines in addition to celebrated private residences, restaurants and casinos throughout the world.


My Review:


This book is a fantastic read for anyone who is remotely interested in steampunk, design, sculpture or victoriana, and offers the newcomer an excellent introduction to the genre. In The Art of Steampunk, Art Donovan explains the origins of the genre, which has been around since the Victorian era but that has only been known as "Steampunk" since the 1980s. Donovan also explains in the book the genre's relationship with both 'steam' and 'punk'.


The book features the work of artists from around the world, including Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. It also features full colour photographs and easy to understand terminology, which will appeal to both newcomers and stalwart fans of the genre.

My Rating:


Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing


Publication Date: 1 August 2011


Note: I received pre-release access to this book free from the publisher via NetGalley for the purposes of review. I am not required to give a positive review, just an honest one. The opinions expressed are my own.

The effect of technology on reading

I came across this article today. I have to say, I agree with her. And its not just children that are reading less, I think adults are too. Life is much more full these days, there's always something going on that keeps us from sitting down and relaxing. And being present in the moment. Technology has definitely made a difference in the way people do things (or don't do them, as the case may be).

I know I spend more time at the computer or infront of the tv in my spare time when it could be better spent reading a book, and I don't mean an ebook either. I mean, they're okay. But I prefer a REAL book - you know, the ones written on paper? That you can hold and feel and smell. But ... more on that in this post.

What do you think? Is Dame Stella Rimington correct in her statement?

Review: Delivery by Diana Prusik

Publisher's Description:

Livi has struggled for decades to avoid her painful past, but she finds new purpose in her troubled life when she join the staff of her family's small-town florist shop. The strong and wacky Wilson's Florist gang monitors the pulse of Mount Helicon; tales of birth and death, sickness and sorrow, love and betrayal, and even forgiveness. And yet, privy to some of the community's deepest secrets, she sometimes wishes she didn't know so much--especially when news arrives that a dear family friend is dead. 

My Review:

It seems that every book I read lately is about death - or has a character who dies, or who experiences the death of a family member or friend. This book contains some sad moments, as well as some happy ones. I found it mostly sad. I don't recommend this book to anyone who has recently lost a family member or a friend. Or who is sensitive to subject matter involving death and/or mental illness.

My Rating:

Date of Publication: 1 July 2011

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers


Note: I received pre-release access to this book free from the publisher via NetGalley for the purposes of review. I am not required to give a positive review, just an honest one. The opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Reinventing Leona by Lynne Gentry

Publisher's Description:


Leona Harper loves being a pastor's wife. Her impressive resume touts thirty years of coaxing hot water from rusty parsonage plumbing, planning church potlucks, and standing beside her husband while members take potshots at his sermons. Except for the little tiff with her grown children, Leona feels her life is right on track with the wishes of the Almighty...until her husband drops dead in the pulpit.

When the church board decides to fill the Reverend's vacated position Leona is forced to find a paying job, mend her fractured family, and tackle her fears. With life spiraling out of control, Leona might find the church members antics comical if she weren't so completely panicked. Can the faith of an overwhelmed widow withstand the added heartache of two resentful children and several underhanded church members? If Leona can't trust God, how will she learn to trust herself? 

My Review:

A truly heartwarming story that will make you laugh and cry. The characters are both believable and likeable, and the plot is strong. I have to say that it is not a romance novel, its more a "coming of age" novel - where the heroine has to overcome personal tragedy. I did like this book, and I'm sure other readers will too - to say much more about the book, I think, would take away from the story itself.

My Rating: 

Publication Date: 1 July 2011

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Note: I received pre-release access to this book free from the publisher via NetGalley for the purposes of review. I am not required to give a positive review, just an honest one. The opinions expressed are my own.

 

Review: Surviving Your Serengeti by Stefan Swanepoel

Publisher's Description:

As a brutal business environment meets a soft economy, business leaders and managers are looking for sources of both inspiration and survival. This compelling new business fable offers a riveting tale of life in Africa’s Serengeti and what lessons it holds for today’s beleaguered business people and struggling society.


The wisdom of Surviving Your Serengeti reveals that no journey is ever too long, too far or too difficult. It reassures us that nothing is impossible, that we can overcome any obstacle and survive our own serengeti. The 1.5 million wildebeest rely on stubborn endurance and support from the herd to survive; the alligator is opportunistic; the cheetah ruthlessly effective; the giraffe embodies grace, the lion a master strategist, the mongoose is a risk-taker, the elephant is an excellent communicator.


So which animal are you?


What's your survival strategy?

Author Bio:

Stefan Swanepoel’s life has been a “Serengeti journey”—from his birth in Kenya to schooling in Hong Kong and South Africa eventually, running a New York-based global franchise network with 25,000 sales associates in 30 countries. In all he has served as president of seven companies and two non-profit organizations.


Now for the first time he has combined his love of wildlife and nature, his ability to captivate audiences, and his comprehensive life experience into a captivating message in an inspirational fable for everyone. In the New York Times bestseller Surviving Your Serengeti:7 Skills to Master Business & Life he vividly portrays how this larger-than-life metaphor can provide guidance and inspiration for individuals and companies in today’s fast, busy and complex world.

Stefan has authored 19 books and reports on business trends, real estate and social media. He lives with his wife and two sons in California.

Which Animal Are You?

My Review:

Told in the form of a story, this book gives an insight into the nature and character of the animals of the Serengeti - and how we can apply this to our own personal and business lives. You may see yourself in more than one of these traits, but in most instances, one trait will stand out from the rest. It is this trait that you need to hone, and this book tells you how!

On a personal note, I found that I saw some of my own personality traits in a couple of the animals spoken about in the book, but none more so than the animal that the quiz linked to above revealed. I found the tips and explanations at the end of each chapter extremely insightful and helpful in understanding not only the animal trait, but also how to apply it to yourself both in your personal and business life.

A valuable resource to anyone who wants to learn more about themselves and their character traits.

My Rating:

Note: I received this book free from the publisher through the booksneeze.com book review bloggers program. I am not required to give a positive review, just an honest one. The opinions expressed are my own.

OFFICIAL Longing Trailer by Karen Kingsbury

LONGING - Book 3 in the Bailey Flanigan Series - will release November 22, 2011.

Review: The Constantine Codex by Paul L Maier

Publisher's Description:


Harvard Professor Jonathan Weber is finally enjoying a season of peace when a shocking discovery thrusts him into the national spotlight once again. While touring monasteries in Greece, Jon and his wife Shannon—a seasoned archaeologist—uncover an ancient biblical manuscript containing the lost ending of Mark and an additional book of the Bible. If proven authentic, the codex could forever change the way the world views the holy Word of God. As Jon and Shannon work to validate their find, it soon becomes clear that there are powerful forces who don’t want the codex to go public. When it’s stolen en route to America, Jon and Shannon are swept into a deadly race to find the manuscript and confirm its authenticity before it’s lost forever.

My Review: 


This book, while an interesting story, was rather long winded in many places - which caused this reader to want to skip ahead (although I didn't allow myself that privilege). Although the initiated debate between the Christian and Muslim characters is interesting, I fail to see its relevance to the story - particularly when it (the story) begins with the discovery of an important document. That story gets lost, while the author goes an a theological tangent. It is Chapter 13 before the story goes back to the investigation of a biblical codex.


I got to Chapter 19 and got sick of reading it, because the story just dragged so much that it lost my attention.


For a book that is supposedly a thriller and full of action, the book is decidedly dull - good plot, so so characters, disappointing delivery.

When I read a thriller, I expect to be thrilled, not to be bogged down in unnecessarily long details.

My Rating: 

Publication Date: 1 June 2011

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Note: I received pre-release access to this book free from the publisher via NetGalley for the purposes of review. I am not required to give a positive review, just an honest one. The opinions expressed are my own.

Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

I'm still here. I've been taking a few days break from reviewing books to finish a book that I bought and started reading a few months ago. I was taking my time with it, not because it was bad or because it was difficult to read, but because it was SO good!!  This book will warm your heart like a hug from an old friend.

You may at first be surprised to find that this book is written in the form of letters, but don't let yourself be put off by that. The format offers a glimpse into the lives of each of the characters, endearing them to the reader's heart as they tell not only the story of the society, but also the story of their own lives during the German occupation of Guernsey in the second World War.


From the Publisher:

January 1946: writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.

My Rating: