The Seeking Serum by Frank L. Cole -- review

Potion Masters: The Seeking Serum

Author: Frank L. Cole

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: January 7th, 2020

ISBN13: 978-1629726069

Hardcover: 384 pages

FTC FYI: I received an ARC from the publisher. All views and opinions are my own.

Goodreads Summary

Mezzarix has stolen the Vessel, the source of power for all potion masters, and is preparing to launch his final attack on the potion-making community—which includes his own family.

Gordy and his family have gone into hiding, but when his mom uncovers some new information, she takes Gordy into the underground network known as the Swigs, a haven for renegade potion masters and black-market potions, to secure support in the fight against Mezzarix. But when Scourges, rebel potion makers acting on orders from Mezzarix, attack the Swigs, Gordy barely escapes with his life and is forced to leave his family behind.

As the fight intensifies between B.R.E.W. and the Scourges, it falls to Gordy and his friends—Max, Sasha, and Adilene—to locate Mezzarix's hidden headquarters, retrieve the Vessel, save the world, and unite the potion-making community.

The world of Potion Masters is full of fantasy and adventure as Gordy and his friends learn the power of friendship and loyalty, and to trust in their own individual talents.

Review

Frank Cole is one of my favorite authors and for good reason. He weaves a wonderful story. His books are always full of adventure, heart, humor, and great characters. I was sad to see this series come to an end, but what a wonderful series it was! This book starts off with a bang and I turned the pages fast, eagerly (and not so patiently) wanting to see what could possibly happen next. I agree with other reviews, you will need to read the other two books first to appreciate the scope of what is taking place. Gordy is a favorite, but as always, the "secondary" characters in this book are just as solid and help deliver a great story. Adilene is fantastic. I love how Frank writes kids in his books to be capable and smart. This book (series for that matter) is a great example of that. 

5 out of 5 stars!

Purchase links

Amazon Kindle / Amazon hardcover / Amazon Audible / Deseret Book

Author links

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

The Solicitor's Son by Rachael Anderson - release day/giveaway

Happy Release Day!!

The Solicitor’s Son by Rachael Anderson

At the end of her third season, Miss Sophia Gifford is firmly on the shelf, and she’s determined to accept her current suitor—a man she likes but cannot love.

When her sister decides to throw an impromptu summer house party, Sophia reluctantly agrees to help. What she doesn’t realize is that her sister has plans of her own—plans that would bring a certain childhood friend back into Sophia’s life.

It’s been nearly a decade since Sophia has seen Hugh Quinton. He’s grown into a handsome, charming, and successful—yet completely unacceptable—tradesman. Her mother looks down on him, her father detests him, and society would snub him in an instant. Sophia shouldn’t even consider him. But her heart doesn’t listen to reason, and before long, she finds herself wondering how much she is willing to sacrifice for love.

Available now on Amazon

Release Day Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal Cash

Ends 2/2/20

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and is sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Forgotten Carols - review

This is a show that I look forward to every year! It always brings me into the holiday spirit. 

The songs are wonderful and heartfelt.

This year was especially great! Mr McLean changed and updated the production. There was a new song too! I was happy the previous songs were still there, but I loved the new way they were shown. This is a wonderful production!

 ‘THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS’ Playing in 11 Cities this Holiday Season

-The 28^th Year Brings a New ‘Re-imagined’ Version of the Holiday Tradition to the Stage-

Salt Lake City – The Forgotten Carols, a Holiday season tradition marking its 28^th year of consecutive performances, is coming to your home town! This year signals the introduction of a new, “re-imagined” version of the musical with 19 performances covering 11 cities in Utah, Idaho and Arizona. For a list of locations and to buy tickets, visit www.forgottencarols.com.

Michael McLean, a well-known performer, composer, songwriter, author and director initially developed The Forgotten Carols as solely a theme-driven album of new Christmas music. But he soon realized he needed a story to connect all the songs together. McLean wrote the interweaving story of a nurse named Connie Lou who cares for John, an elderly patient who shares the songs about those people he claims to have lived with 2,000 years ago. For his initial performances, McLean played all the parts to give people a sense of how families could present the narration at home hoping it would become a family tradition.

Over the years, McLean’s modest one-man show has evolved into a full scale theatrical production performed for more than a million people throughout the United States and abroad, including shows in Ireland, Germany, England and the Ukraine. And now, after 28 years, McLean is surprising his audiences with significant changes to his classic story!

“People who have been coming for years will be thrilled, I believe, with the changes we’ve made this year,” remarked McLean. “For a few years now, my son and I have been thinking about updating the story, and this year we decided to dive in and do it. Fans will hear the same songs, see the same characters, but experience the story in a completely new way!”

McLean is currently working on adapting the stage version of The Forgotten Carols as a feature film, and it was this process that inspired the story changes. “After we wrote the screenplay for the film, there were so many elements we fell in love with that just had to be in the stage version,” said McLean. “And the changes we’ve made just feel right. They make the characters deeper, the story more spiritual, and the experience that much richer.”

 So, if you’ve been coming for years – come again! And if you’re a new fan – you won’t want to miss your chance to see what we are calling The Forgotten Carols – Reimagined!” quipped McLean.

The Forgotten Carols 2019 concert schedule includes performances in Arizona, Idaho, and Utah. Performance tickets are on sale now. For a complete listing of concert dates and locations or to purchase tickets visit the website at www.forgottencarols.com.

SYNOPSIS

This season, we invite you to join us for this beautifully re-imagined telling of Michael McLean’s holiday tradition THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS. Touring since 1991, this timeless Christmas tradition brings to life the story of Constance Louise Chamberlain, a nurse who hasn’t laughed or cried in over 30 years.  But that all changes when she meets, and cares for, a homeless man with dementia (Uncle John, as he likes to be called) who insists he’s been alive for over two thousand years.  Uncle John recounts the story of Christ’s birth through these Forgotten Carols sung from the perspective of his “friends” the Inn Keeper, a Shepherd, Handel and others, taking Connie Lou on a life-altering journey.  As Uncle John struggles to remember all the reasons why he feels compelled to share these unknown carols with his nurse, she discovers what her heart has forgotten about the true power and meaning of Christmas!

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Christmas Jars -- movie review

Movie info:

Hope is an aspiring reporter who has had her fair share of tragedy in life. Abandoned at birth, she's grieving the recent death of her adopted mother when her apartment is burglarized of all her possessions. While reporting the burglary to the police, Hope discovers a jar full of money, labeled "Christmas Jar." Shocked and grateful for this act of kindness, Hope discovers that people all over her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, have been receiving Christmas Jars for years during times of need. The jars are always anonymous and always contain different amounts. In this heartwarming Christmas classic, Hope goes undercover to discover the secret behind the Christmas jars, putting into motion a series of events that will change her life, and her community, forever.

My review

My family and I loved this movie! It is sweet and heartfelt. I especially loved Hope. Her story is sad, but I loved her attitude. She is quite the journalist. I felt her for when she had to choose between her story and the family. Tragedy strikes, but this movie (and book) shows how we can pull together ot help others. This is the perfect movie to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Purchase links

Amazon / Deseret Book

Watch a trailer of the movie here!

Live All In -- weekly inspirational music subscription by Hilary Weeks/Giveaway

DESCRIPTION OF LIVE ALL IN: 

As a member of LIVE ALL IN, you'll receive a brand new Hilary Weeks song every month. You will also have access to a song study that includes scriptures, quotes and questions to help you study the message of the song that month! Every month, you'll receive the sheet music and instrumental track for that song. Plus you'll get the beautifully designed lyrics, coloring page and two 5x7 printables that you can frame for your home or use as lesson handouts. 

Blog Tour Sale Offer - You can purchase a 2020 Live All In Annual Membership for early bird price of $49 (reg. $59) and if you use the coupon SALE15, you get another 15% off! Only $42!! 

You and your family can also enjoy an entire year's worth of gorgeous, monthly music, sheet music, coloring pages, printables for your home, song studies, and lyrics for under $4 a month! 

DIRECT LINK TO PURCHASE: 

https://hilaryweeks.com/live-all-in/

Giveaway!

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DIRECT LINK TO PURCHASE: 

https://hilaryweeks.com/live-all-in/

To Die, To Sleep by Stephanie Black -- blog tour/giveaway

To Die, To Sleep

Author: Stephanie Black

Publisher: Covenant 

Published: Nov 1, 2019

ISBN13: 9781524409135

Paperback: 272 pages

FTC FYI: I received an ARC from the publisher, all views and opinions are my own.

Summary

After surviving a difficult year, Natalie Marsh is heading for Ellsberg Keep, an exclusive mountain resort that promises to provide the tranquility she desperately needs. She’s eager to relax and to reconnect with her estranged cousin Lily, who works as the Keep’s nurse—a reunion that begins abruptly when an accident on the winding mountain roads lands Natalie in the infirmary in the care of her cousin. They have little time to bond over childhood memories, however. Everything is thrown into chaos when the owner of the Keep is rushed to the medical wing, wildly delusional and raving about a murder plot.

Despite Lily’s care, the owner dies. Is his death simply an accident, or are his frenzied suspicions true? Determined to help Lily cope with the loss of her patient—and the accusations that she’s to blame for his death—Natalie searches for answers and is swept into a mystery that grows more puzzling as frightening hallucinations torment the dead man’s son. When a staff member who asks too many questions disappears, it is clear that this idyllic resort harbors someone with deadly intent—and Natalie may not survive to uncover the truth.

My review

This book excellently written and very gripping. It starts off with a bang and does not let go until the last page is reluctantly turned. The expert way this book is written, it simply pulls you in and does not let go. Poor Natalie! Wow, she has had it rough lately. :) As always, she is a fantastic character. I tried to figure out the plot as I read, then quickly gave up, because I honestly had no idea where the story would go. I love books like that. I love to be surprised and left in awe. To Die, To Sleep, definitely does that. The characters are intriguing and Ellsberg Keep is quite creepy itself. 

5 out of 5 stars. Loved it!

Purchase links

Amazon Kindle / Amazon paperback / Deseret Book / Seagull Book

Author links

Amazon author page / Goodreads

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Robin and Marian by Stephanie Fowers - spotlight

Robin and Marian

Author: Stephanie Fowers

Published: August 14th, 2019

e-book/paperback: 394 pages

ISBN13: 978-1089001331

FTC FYI: I received an ARC for potential review.

Summary

Who says Chivalry is dead?

Robin King lives up to the legendary name of Robin Hood more than he should—a bigshot billionaire and successor of King enterprises, a Prince of Mischief and a rogue who steals hearts ... and maybe even a few kisses. He never thought he’d follow the storyline so closely, until the day he gets in trouble with the law and pays the price—all for protecting his younger sister Scarlett.

Taken in by an Outlaw

Marian is a hard-hitting reporter … or would be if the New England Chronicle would stop assigning her puff pieces. Now she has the chance to prove herself, but it could prove her undoing—since the story of a lifetime might just be Robin King, a ruthless scoundrel, who she swore would never break her heart again.

Making New England Olde again

Together, they must overcome their differences to save their hometown from thieves and corruption. And they’d better do it before someone gets killed. As danger lurks closer, legend becomes life, and Robin’s feelings for Marian deepen as he struggles with sharing the secrets that could clear his name and ruin his sister.

Purchase links - this title is FREE on KU

Amazon Kindle / Amazon paperback

Author links

Amazon author page / Website / Goodreads