Sheila's Books Read

Sheila's bookshelf: read

The Best Intentions
Scotland's Melody
The Secret Society of Salzburg
Secret of the Sonnets
20-40-60-Minute Dinners: Meals to Match the Time You Have
Through the Wilderness: My Journey of Redemption and Healing in the American Wild
Secret Santa Claus Club: A Tool to Help Parents Unwrap the Secret of Santa
Mr. Pudgins
Revenge Never Rests
The Best Mistake
Meriden Park
More Inspirational Stories for Young Women
The Great Tree: A Christmas Fable
To Capture His Heart
The Call of the Sea
Esperance
Livvy and the Enchanted Woodland
Come, Gentle Night
The Bad Boy Theory
Guide To Smart Wedding Planning: What You want to know and everything you haven't thought of yet.


Sheila's favorite books »

2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Sheila has read 4 books toward her goal of 100 books.
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Thursday, April 25, 2019

Waiting For Fitz By Spencer Hyde: Blog Tour Book Review



Product Details

  • Title: Waiting For Fitz
  • Author: Spencer Hyde
  • Hardcover: 240 pages
  • Genre:  Teen & Young Adult Depression 
  • & Mental Illness Fiction
  • Publisher: Shadow Mountain (March 5, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1629725277 
  • ***I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.***


 Book Summary

A poignant, at times tragic, tale of the emotional pain some kids endure” – Booklist

Addie loves nothing more than curling up on the couch with her dog, Duck, and watching The Great British Baking Show with her mom. It’s one of the few things that can help her relax when her OCD kicks into overdrive. She counts everything. All the time. She can’t stop. Rituals and rhythms. It’s exhausting.

When Fitz was diagnosed with schizophrenia, he named the voices in his head after famous country singers. The adolescent psychiatric ward at Seattle Regional Hospital isn’t exactly the ideal place to meet your soul mate, but when Addie meets Fitz, they immediately connect over their shared love of words, appreciate each other’s quick wit, and wish they could both make more sense of their lives.
Fitz is haunted by the voices in his head and often doesn’t know what is real. But he feels if he can convince Addie to help him escape the psych ward and get to San Juan Island, everything will be okay. If not, he risks falling into a downward spiral that may keep him in the hospital indefinitely.

Waiting for Fitz is a story about life and love, forgiveness and courage, and learning what is truly worth waiting for.

My Review
 Waiting for Fitz is a novel with deep subject matter. Both main characters are dealing with mental illness. Addie has OCD and Fitz is diagnosed with schizophrenia. They meet at the hospital in the psych ward. They hit it off and become fast friends. This is their story of learning how to deal with their illness and how it has affected their past and how it will affect their future. This book at times is hard to read as you see what all of the teens at this pysch ward are dealing with.These teens are very unique in their style and approach to life. Personally, I really liked this novel and the journey each character went on. If you yourself or someone you know lives with some type of mental illness you'll be able to relate well to Addie, Fitz, and the others. 

This novel is for older teens and adults.


Meet Author Spencer Hyde:


Spencer Hyde spent three years of his high school experience visiting Johns Hopkins for severe OCD. He feels particularly suited to write Waiting for Fitz because he’s lived through his protagonists’ obsessions.

Spencer worked at a therapeutic boarding school before earning his MFA in Utah and his PhD in Texas, specializing in fiction. He wrote Waiting for Fitz while working as a Teaching Fellow in Denton, Texas. He is currently an assistant professor of English at Brigham Young University.

Stories have a way of changing lives—Spencer learned that the first time he picked up a Tom Stoppard play and realized that words can nudge the world and build bridges to hope.

Spencer and his wife, Brittany, are the parents of four children. They love to hike, read, watch movies, fly-fish, and bake.


Purchase Waiting For Fitz Here:  https://amzn.to/2Dr9Q8u

Friday, April 19, 2019

Plague: A Suspense Novel by Gregg Luke- Blog Tour & Giveaway!


Product Details

  • Paperback: 304 pages
  • Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc. (April 1, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • Genre: Mystery/Suspense
  • ISBN-10: 1524408662
  • ***I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review***

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Book Summary:
Professor Mitch Pine knows all too well the history of epidemics, so the startling new information he’s discovered has him racing to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Mitch has uncovered a startling pattern: dramatic environmental changes always occurred prior to devastating outbreaks, and current climate change may be such a catalyst. But before his plane lands, Mitch’s journey takes a terrifying turn. He is intercepted by a woman who represents a dangerous faction whose interest in Mitch’s research opposes his mission to save lives. To secure Mitch’s cooperation, his research assistant is being held hostage. With so many lives on the line, Mitch embarks on a turbulent trip around the world, uncovering pieces of the puzzle until he ultimately holds the key to prevent—or precipitate—global devastation. Unless he can find a way to stop the lunatics behind his abduction, a plague the likes of which the world has never known will be unleashed.



My Review:

 I really liked this exciting and thought provoking thriller. It not only is a great suspense novel, but I also learned so many new historical and scientific details. There were some shocking information that only intensified in the last 1/3 of the book. I found that this book is not one I read before I went to bed because it made me think even more about what was being said and done in the novel. It's best read during the day so you can process everything. 
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If you love reading novels with a lot of suspense, science, and historical facts, this book was written for you. It has compelling characters and events that will keep you reading until the thrilling end.

MEET THE AUTHOR:
Gregg Luke is a practicing pharmacist. He received his medical training at the University of Utah. He has been writing since he could put pen to paper. He enjoys medical thrillers and is one of the first to work this genre into the LDS market.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Circle of Conspiracy By Cas Peace-Blog Tour Spotlight, Giveaway, and Top 10 List!



Nine months have passed since Brynne Sullyan helped forge an alliance between the realms of Albia and Andaryon. A fragile peace reigns as both sides recover from the events of the previous year. Then mysterious raiders strike Andaryon villages. 


Attempts are made on the life of Albia’s High King. As Sullyan scrambles to find those responsible, unseen enemies threaten to pull apart everything she has worked for, including her marriage.

The alliance begins to crumble, and Sullyan finds herself caught between two monarchs: the king she’s sworn allegiance to, and the man she loves as a father. To betray either one would break her heart, but if conflict is inevitable, she must make a choice…



Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com 

See the video of her performing live at the King’s Envoy book launch here: http://www.caspeace.com/cas-peace/the-wheel-will-turn



Author Facebook ~

Facebook ~ Website ~



 ~ Blog ~ Amazon ~ Reverbnation ~





Top Ten List
1) Anything to do with animals, especially dogs and horses. My favorite horse breed is the Friesian, which is why I put one in my novels. I also own two rescue dogs and support many animal charities.
2) Singing, especially folk-style songs. I also sing in my local church choir.
3) Chocolate!!
4) Dragons and (I have to admit!) unicorns. I have collected figurines and statues of dragons and unicorns since I was small and have a vast collection, some of which live outdoors. But I don’t like “twee”, only ones that look like they could be real.
5) Reading, especially fantasy and sci-fi.
6) Country walks.
7)All wildlife, especially butterflies. I used to breed and release UK varieties, and belong to the Butterfly Conservation Society.
8) Did I mention chocolate?
9) Spending time with family members.

10) Playing my Bodhran (Irish drum). I can’t read music so decided to take up drumming instead! It’s fun and very therapeutic.

Snippet #2 – from Book 2 The Circle:
“Rienne, what am I going to do?” Sullyan’s voice was hoarse with emotion. “Elias has declared war on Andaryon. I couldn’t stop him—he wouldn’t listen. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he has commanded me to tell him everything I know about the Citadel’s defenses and Anjer’s battle strategies. How can I possibly obey him?”
Rienne gasped. “He asked you to do that? Doesn’t he realize what he’s doing? There’s no way on earth Timar’s involved in Prince Eadan’s abduction.”
“I know, Rienne, I know. I have told Elias so, but he does not wish to hear me. He is full of fury and avid for revenge and the need to do something to regain his son. I cannot blame him for that. But war! It will achieve nothing but death and the destruction of the alliance. This could put us back decades and resurrect all the old grievances still simmering beneath the surface. Which is exactly what our enemy wants, of course.”
Rienne stared at Sullyan, totally overwhelmed. Events were moving too fast for her. “What will you do? What can you do?”
“I have no idea. I need time to think. But I simply cannot use my knowledge to help Elias attack Timar.”




To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page