Name Change

Imagine my surprise when I opened my email this morning and a notice was there that My Only Vice is also the name of an adult fetish company based out of the UK! They will be starting a new website and wanted to inform me before it went live that our interests may not be the same! YA THINK?! So I am currently thinking of different names for my blog. I will keep you all informed. I hope this won't be a huge production, but certainly wanted to distance myself from any pornographic references or companies. I in no way want to be associated with this type of industry and I certainly would not want anyone innocently looking for my book blog to come across objectionable material. I hope you all continue to visit my blog once I change my name. All will be the same except for the name.

For Love & Liberty by Stephen Grimble-February sale on Amazon

For Love & Liberty by Stephen Grimble will be offered as an ebook on Amazon for .99 for the entire month of February.

Here is a synopsis:

For anyone who enjoys history and a charming love story in age of disposable relationships  . . .

Since the Constitution's ratification in 1789, each generation of Americans has been called to honor liberty by securing its blessings to posterity. For over 200 years, every generation has answered this call to honor.

What will be the epitaph of the current generation?

The fictional protagonists in For Love & Liberty form the Madison Committee, named to honor the Father of the Constitution James Madison, and soon determine that a constitution convention, the first since 1787, must be called to consider and adopt seven amendments known as the Second Bill of Rights. If ratified, these amendments salvage the nation's honor and fulfill its sacred trust by securing liberty's blessings to posterity.

"A ruminative thriller" Kirkus Reviews

Here is the press release:

Calling our Founding Fathers

Author looks to the past to save our future in latest work

ALBUQUERQUE - In his second book and first fiction piece, For Love & Liberty (Wasteland Press, September 2011), Stephen Grimble, author, veteran, and history buff, asks, “What can we learn from our founding fathers to solve the crisis we're in today?”  

Inspired by the United States' current political and fiscal troubles, Grimble penned the novel with the belief in mind that the U.S. is long overdue for a renewed examination and application of the original constitutional principles. For Love & Liberty captures the spirit of the American Revolution and re-thinks the modern function of the American Constitution and Bill of Rights, combining both historical and futuristic perspectives...and a little romance, too.

"It's a distinct probability that we will not pass on the blessings of liberty to future generations if America is not restored to fiscal solvency and limited government," says Grimble.

Posing the questions "what will be the epitaph for the current American generation?" "will it be the first in the country's history to fail to answer the call to honor liberty?", For Love & Liberty is a cautionary tale that offers a possible solution to restoring limited constitutional government, individual liberty, and fiscal solvency, and what might happen if that solution is rejected. Grimble hopes this will inspire other concerned citizens to join him in his call for new action. 

STEPHEN GRIMBLE is a retired executive and a member of SouthWest Writers. He currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he continues to call fellow patriots to the founding ideals of the United States Constitution. 

NOTE: I have not read this book so I will not be doing a review of it. I was asked by the publisher to post about the sale of this book. If you choose to buy it and review it please come back and comment on this post so that I can read your review. 

 

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

This year I'm participating in the Contentment Reading Challenge hosted by Katie at Legacy of a Writer. The challenge is to be content with what we have and to enjoy books that we have on our shelves and have already read. I have challenged myself to do the WADING level of this challenge. That is to re-read 10 books this year. New Moon is my first one that I have re-read.

New Moon is my least favorite book of the Twilight series. It is depressing how Edward decides to leave. It is more depressing to see how it affects Bella. And of course the most irritating part is that this is the book that Jacob becomes a key player in. Yes, I am an Edward fan! But New Moon is also the jumping off point for the last 2 books in the series. Eclipse and Breaking Dawn could not have been written without having all of the background of New Moon. So that is why when I re-read the series I never skip over New Moon even though I would like to.

The thing about re-reading books that is comforting to me is that they are like visiting old friends. Sometimes while reading other books the tension in the story gets to me, or there is anxiety over the angst that is being portrayed. In re-reading a book, I know what is going to happen, I know how the ending is going to turn out. There is no anxiety, it is JUST FOR FUN! I didn't start with Twilight because I re-read that last year. I think I will try to re-read the other 2 this year. We'll see what my mood is when I decide to re-read my next book.

So, here is my first book finished for the Contentment Reading Challenge for 2012. Head over to Katie's blog and see if you would like to participate in the Challenge!

Accused by Janice Cantore

Carly Edwards is a police officer sworn to protect the community she serves in. While out on patrol with a substitute partner she was involved in a shooting. Now she is working juvenile until the investigation is over.

Carly's personal life is also in a shambles. She has just recently divorced her husband Nick for being unfaithful. She can't get away from him though since he too works for the police force.

Carly wants nothing more than to be back out on the streets. She thinks she is being given the chance when she is called to the scene of where the missing mayor's body is found. In reality she was called because the juvenile in the car asked for her. He is the son of Carly's mom's friend. Carly is to question him and get him to confess to the mayor's murder. The only problem is that after talking to him she doesn't believe that he was involved.

When Carly is told to back off of the investigation she begins to think that something isn't right in the department. At first she can't believe that there is corruption among her brothers in law enforcement. Carly soon comes to believe though that there are few people she can trust in the department.

Bitter against God and angry at her ex husband, Carly struggles with whom she can trust. She doesn't want to believe her mother when she tells her of the peace that God has given her after her father died. Carly has to take notice though when Nick too becomes a believer. Regardless of what he did, she still has respect for him as a cop. She soon finds that Nick is the only one she can trust as a cop, even though he failed her trust as a husband.

I really enjoyed this book! The story was quick-paced and action packed while also filled with suspense. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series! Also I found that the faith woven into the story was real and not distracting or preachy.

Thanks to Tyndale House and NetGalley for my review copy.

Firethorn by Ronie Kendig

 

Things start to go terribly wrong for the Nightshade team. Griffin(Legend) is wrongly accused of murdering a high up official. He is in prison, depressed, wondering where he went wrong in life. He doesn't know how he will survive the rest of his life in prison, but he is determined to do it with honor and pride like the Marine that he is.

The Nightshade team are just back from a mission when their headquarters are attacked. They are separated and taken to different locations around the world. Two manage to escape before the others are whisked away. Their families are taken to a hidden location and given no information about where their men are.

Kazi has been hired to find the Nightshade team and get them back together. Nobody knows who is behind the setup to break up the team. Kazi's first mission is to break Legend out of prison. Kazi has hardened her heart to everyone around her because life has not been kind to her. She is afraid to allow her heart to care for anyone because that would make her weak in her goal. She is determined to earn enough money to allow her to buy herself back from the man that her brother sold her too years before. An attraction between Legend and Kazi could be dangerous to both their hearts.

One thing I like about the Nightshade books is that from the beginning of each book a person is in for a roller coaster ride of excitement! And then of course there is the romance in each one, I don't know that I could read a military style book if there wasn't a bit of attraction between the main characters! Firethorn is the last book in the Nightshade series. I don't know that a person has to read the books in order, but I think that it would definitely help if you did. I unfortunately have read them all out of order. I read Digitalis first, then Firethorn and I have Nightshade waiting for me to read and then I have to get Wolfsbane. While each book is about a different man on the Nightshade team I think it would have helped me to connect with the characters more if I would have started at the beginning. But still, I have enjoyed the ones that I have read!

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for my review copy.

ALA-Dallas, Texas

My friend Karin and I are at ALA(American Library Association) in Dallas this weekend. We are getting lot's of free books each day. Here are some pictures:

 These are my haul from our first day-70 books! Today I got 60 books! Wonder how many I'll get tomorrow?

My shoulders are killing me from all of the bags of books that I have been carrying around! But so excited about all of the new titles I get to read!

King Peggy by Peggielene Bartels and Eleanor Herman

Peggy is a secretary at the Ghanaian Embassy in Washington D.C. When she receives a phone call at 4:00am from her home town of Otuam in Ghana telling her that she is their new king. She thinks that the person is joking, but they are not, she truly is the new King.

When Peggy arrives in Otuam she finds that her town is poor. Children have to walk for miles to get drinking water for their families. Not many get to go to school because of the expense. She also finds the palace in shambles. It turns out her elders have been pocketing the money from the townspeople and using it for their own pleasures.

Peggy immediately begins to set things right much to the disappointment of her elders. She lets them know that just because she is a woman she will not be pushed around by them or any man.

Because of her love for her people Peggy is able to improve their lives by stopping the corruption, bringing in clean drinking water, repairing their beloved palace and giving them something to be proud of. It isn't an easy job. Peggy still has to work her job as a secretary in the United States. So she is gone the majority of the year. Her elders do not make it easy for her either by still going behind her back with their thieving ways. Add to that the disgruntled children of the former King who insist that their father does not deserve a decent burial. Peggy finds that her dreams for Otuam are very expensive for a secretary.

This true story follows the first 2 years of Peggy's kingship. Her frustrations and triumphs. I really enjoyed this strong woman's ability to take on the male leaders in her town, stop the corruption and gain the love of her people. I felt her frustration while dealing with these corrupt men who were set in place to help the people, but have only helped themselves. Peggy is able to uphold the customs of the people while maintaining the dignity and power of her Kingship. 

Thanks to Doubleday for my review copy