Royal Target by Traci Hunter Abramson

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really loved this story. It is every girl's fairy tale come true with a happy ending...with a lot of angst before the happy ending. Traci Hunter Abramson does a fantastic job with this novel; with just the right mixture of romance and suspense to target every book lover out there.

This is Traci's second book that came out in 2008. This is also the second book of hers that is nominated for a Whitney Award this year. It says a lot about Traci that she has two books that were nominated in the same year. She has become one of my favorite authors the past few years.

She also has a new book that was just released on March 2nd, called Lockdown. I have not read it yet, as I am still making my way through all of the Whitney Award Nominee books. As soon as I am done reading all of these books, Lockdown, will be one of the first books I will pick up. Here is what Lockdown is about, courtesy of Goodreads:

Only twice had she set foot inside the building since the massacre. The first time had been just a month after the tragedy .. . . The second time she had returned to the scene of the crime had been two days ago when she forced herself to enter the building to check on the temporary office for the SEAL team. The counselor she had seen in the months after the shooting had encouraged her to face her fears, but now . . . Riley wasn’t sure she was ready to face them after all. Caught up in a hostage situation that is hauntingly familiar, Riley Palmetta once more finds her life hanging in the balance. What starts out as a well-organized and highly intensive training course for the prevention of random acts of terror quickly turns into a real-life nightmare of suspense and intrigue that will test the faith and finely honed skills of Tristan Crowther and his elite group of LDS Navy SEALS. For Tristan, this is not only a race to save lives; it is a deeply personal mission that moves relentlessly toward an irreversible crisis. And life—as well as love—is on the line. Seasoned LDS author Traci Hunter-Abramson once again displays her skills and expertise in this fast-paced, suspense-filled novel. It is a story loaded with action and real-life parallels— guarateed to leave you both breathless.

It looks like it will be another exciting read brought to you by Traci; one that I look forward to immensely. View all my reviews.

CONTEST - Win Copy of Annette Lyon's Latest Novel, Tower of Strength

At Anne Bradshaw's blog, Not Entirely British, you can enter to win a copy of Annette Lyon's new novel, Tower of Strength. You need to go to Anne's blog to read details of how to enter.



To quote from Annette’s Blog :
Tower of Strength . . . is set in 1884 Manti, a few years before the temple there was complete. Much of the story centers around events (both real and fictional) that took place in and around the city's Temple Hill . . . I love the title (the publisher) picked; Tower of Strength can refer to both the temple (the towers are under construction during the story) as well as the heroine. Tabitha really is a tower of strength, and that plays a huge role in the story.

If you have not read any of Annette's other books in this series, you have missed some great novels. This is her fourth historical novel centered around the old Utah temples. Annette writes great characters and you get deeply involved in her stories from the very beginning. This is her sixth published novel.

So go check out Anne's blog for more information about this contest.(http://annebradshaw.blogspot.com/2009/03/contest-win-copy-of-annette-lyons.html)

While you are at it, also go read Annette's blog. I read her blog often and she has had some very entertaining blogs. http://blog.annettelyon.com/

Thrilling Reads

I have been getting such good reading in lately. I have been enjoying reading the many books that are Whitney Award Nominees. I have also been sneaking in other books that aren't on the list.

I am in the middle of some mystery thrillers/romance novels. The first is called, Freefall, by Traci Hunter Abramson. The lowdown about this book is:"Lieutenant Brent Miller arrived in the Middle East with one objective--get seven hostages out of a hostile country. The plan almost worked. But now he has been left behind--with one of the hostages. It's up to Brent to get Amy Whitmore, a US Senator's daughter, across miles of desert to safety. What he doesn't know is that to survive, he needs her as much as she needs him."

The book is very exciting! I was pulled in from the first chapter. I love books that make me want to keep reading and feel pained if I have to put them down. I really liked the main characters Amy and Brent. Many times, characters have qualities that irk me, not so here. They felt "real" to me and how they behaved with one another. Another plus for me, is that there are characters in this book that we have seen before in previous books that Traci has written.

The next book I am reading is called, Traitor, by Sandra Grey. This book is based on one of my favorite historical time periods I enjoy reading about: WW II. "With war raging in Europe, the only way Marie can be with Felix is to join the Allied forces. However, as Marie parachutes into France to join the Résistance, she not only lands into the arms of her fiancé, but also drops into the hands of the enemy. Major Rolf Schulmann has been struggling between personal convictions and his duty to the German Fatherland. Now he must decide what to do with the captured fiancee of the man who gave him a new chance at life-a man he once loved as a brother. The Gestapo will do whatever it takes to dispose of Marie. If Rolf helps her escape he will have enemies on all sides-is it a sacrifice he is willing to make? Can Marie possibly trust her life to a man torn between two masters?

I will admit, this book was hard to get into at first. It took several chapters for me to final get hooked. Once I was hooked, I had to keep reading. Maybe it took me that long to start caring about the characters, but it felt like watching a really thrilling movie. The history in this book seems very accurate and you can tell she did fantastic research. The emotional pull, that haunts Marie and Rolf is clearly felt. They both have their own own set of problems, but this doesn't stop them from getting involved with one another. I can't wait to see how this all ends.I told you I am reading both of these books currently and have not finished either one yet. This doesn't stop me from recommending both of these books to you.


Another book I finished a few days ago was "Fields of Home" , by Rachel Ann Nunes. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster ride.

Here is a synopsis:...:"After fighting her way through a bitter and hurtful past, Mercedes Johnson has painstakingly carved out a life of quiet contentment on a Wyoming farm with her husband, Wayne, and their three boys. But all that changes when the birth father of her oldest child returns to Riverton. Brandon Rhodes has plans for his son, threatening the carefully balanced life Mercedes and Wayne have created. But just how far is he willing to go? Fields of Home is a novel about the deepest kind of ties and the true meaning of love."


It was hard to count how many times my heart went out to these fictional characters. The thing is, there are so many trials that many of us have gone through in life. As we read about these trials in fiction, how do we relate them to our own experiences? How realistically does the author write these trials? Rachel does a fabulous job of making feelings come out in her readers as they read her writing. Be prepared to cry and "feel" as you read Fields of Home.

Just wanted you to know that all three of these books are nominees for a Whitney Award this year. I hope that you have gone to www.whitneyawards.com. to look at all of this years fabulous nominees. Write down those that are of interest to you and join the fun and get reading.

The Sound of Rain

Here is another book that is a nominee, in the Best Romance Category, for a 2008 Whitney Award.

The Sound of Rain by Anita Stansfield

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved the Sound of Rain. It was so different from anything else that Anita Stansfield has written. I could so closely relate to the characters because of my strong music background. This is a very heartfelt and emotionally charged book. I was able to grow close to the main characters from the first chapter. This was a book that I did not want to end. I am recommending this one to all of you; just have the tissues ready. I can't wait to read the other books in this series.


View all my reviews.

So Little Time and SO Much to Read!

I am up to my neck in report cards and getting things ready for parent-teacher conferences this week. You have to realize how excruciatingly painful this is for me, while all I want to be doing currently is reading. The finalists for the Whitney Awards were announced recently, giving me a boatload of books I need to read before I send in my final votes for the awards. What I have read so far, it is going to be very difficult when I go to place my final votes. There are so many outstanding books that are finalists this year. My advice to you is head over to the Whitney Awards website(http://www.whitneyawards.com/) and make a list of books for your reading list. There are many categories, so I know that all of you will be able to find something there that you would like.

I just recently finished a book called, "Taking Chances" by Shannon Guymon, which is a finalist in the Romance Category. This is not your typical LDS romance, it is a a story of finding love, learning to forgive, and of course, letting your guard down and taking a chance on love. I was immediately drawn to the characters in the story, not only because of their engaging personalities, but because of the thought provoking back storyline involving sexual abuse. It was presented in a way that really touches your heart and helps you have such compassion for anyone that has ever endured this trial in their life.






Another story I am reading is called, "Do No Harm" by Gregg Luke. This book is one of the finalist in the Best Mystery Suspense category. How badly did I want to read this book today? Well it accidently traveled to church with me and hopped out onto my lap in between Sunday School and Relief Society. I hate when this happens, I have no control over the books. I didn't get much read because of people wanting to talk to me about what I was reading. I knew I should have run away to an empty classroom somewhere. Just kidding! Just a little "book-aholic" humor there! Seriously though, if you have ever read any medical thrillers before, this is right up your alley. The suspense keeps building and building to the point you don't want to put the book down...all except for those pesky report cards staring at me waiting to be finished. **sigh** Gregg Luke has written a very exciting book that I just can't wait to finish.

There are many more books that I need to read before I vote, but what a pleasure to read such fantastic work that is out there by LDS authors. Again, go take a look at the finalists and either go to your library or nearest book store to start reading some outstanding books.