On Little Wings by Regina Sirois

Every once in a while I find a book that is so beautifully written I end up reading it slowly in order to savor the pleasure, much like with good food. Or Girl Scout cookies. I found myself doing that very thing with On Little Wings by Regina Sirois.

In this story, the author has a way of pulling you inside the pages and evoking strong, brightly painted pictures of setting and characters with whom you can identify. Characters I loved. The story unfolded slowly, and subtly, but came to a satisfying end. I truly enjoyed reading every word and every poetic sentence.

And I just need to say, I love where the title came from. (But you have to read the book to find out.)

The thing about literary YA is that the pacing tends to be a little slow, as was the case with this story. While I enjoyed it very much, it was, as mentioned above, a story to savor, rather than one with pacing that caused me to zip through it. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but something that makes this book stand out. And as other reviewers have mentioned, I think this enabled it to seep inside me.

I hope to see a lot more from Regina Sirois in the future.

The blurb:

Jennifer must do the impossible – bring her mother home. When a family is torn apart by death, two sisters take violently divergent paths and the story of their family appears to end terribly and abruptly. Two decades later Jennifer never dreams that the photo she finds stuck between the pages of a neglected book will tear open a gaping wound to her mother’s secret past. Abandoning her comfortable life with her parents and best friend in the wheat fields of Nebraska, Jennifer’s quest for a hidden aunt leads her to the untamed coast of Maine where she struggles to understand why her mother lied to her for sixteen years.


Across the grey, rocky cove she meets Nathan Moore, the young, reluctant genius surrounded by women who need him to be brother, father, friend, provider, protector and now, first love. The stories, varied, hilarious, and heartbreaking, unfold to paint a striking mural of the shattered past. As Jennifer seeks to piece together her mother’s story, she inadvertently writes one for herself.

Purchase your copy of On Little Wings or learn more about this up and coming author, Regina Sirois.

Prank Wars By Stephanie Fowers

I have to admit, I loved the idea behind this story from the minute I heard the title, Prank Wars. Because, let’s face it, a war of pranks screams of romantic comedy. And these characters hold nothing back. They are master pranksters. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Madeline (aka Mad Dog) and Byron (aka Lord Byron). It’s clear they absolutely despise each other, but they also really like each other (though neither would admit it).

I also really enjoyed Madeline’s character arc from being completely against love to…well. I’m not going to give that away. We’ll just say she has a change of heart. This was a light, fun read and I enjoyed living vicariously through these college kids who seemed to be having way too much fun for their own good.

Admittedly, I read it much faster than I expected, and it accidentally skipped over a couple other books I should’ve been reading. So yeah, it’s a quick, fun read that will keep you giggling as you turn the pages to see what happens next.

Here’s the blurb:

All war. No love. Madeleine’s been hurt too many times in the dating scene to let Byron beat her in some huge prank war. They’ve had their deserters, their POW's, their casualties, but no one can risk losing the battle of the sexes.




Except now something strange is happening at the college...and it’s not just the students. Buried deep beneath the pranks is real danger and the only other person who suspects is Byron. Should Mad join sides with him or does that mean forfeiting her heart to the enemy?

Buy your copy of Prank Wars as an ebook or in paperback.

Learn more about author Stephanie Fowers and watch the Prank Wars trailer.

Targets in Ties by Tristi Pinkston

Contest information listed below.

If you’ve been following my reviews of the Secret Sisters series, you already know I’m a big fan of Ida Mae and her sidekicks, Tansy and Arlette. But I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned Ida Mae’s nephew, Ren, in this, so please forgive me while I swoon a little.

*fans self at the thought*

*end swoon*

In this side-splitting volume, Targets in Ties, Ida Mae, Tansy and Arlette pack their bags and fly off to the beautiful beaches and ruins of Mexico to pick up the dashing and ingenious Ren, who raised Ida Mae after her children deserted her, and who is probably responsible for her mischievous streak. Their plan is to rest, shop, and play the avid tourists—not to be kidnapped by a wanted felon and dragged into all kinds of mayhem and intrigue.

But isn’t that the way it always goes with Ida Mae and the girls? Yeah. It is. They should just plan for it or something. And since Ren is related to Ida Mae, well. It’s no wonder he and his companion are in a bit of trouble themselves.

I could go on, but, well. I’d just give away the story, and you really should read it for yourself. It’s just that fun.

Also, I would like to point out the cover. See that? It’s my quote (which does not show up here, but is there, I PROMISE). It says:

“Hilariously intriguing, Targets in Ties is like a non-alcoholic margarita, the perfect blend of sweet, tart, and salty, and topped with an umbrella that makes it all the more appealing.” ~Nichole Giles author of The Sharp Edge of a Knife

There’s also a quote inside. I am moving up in the world.

Here’s the blurb:

After two long years, Ren’s mission is finally over, and it’s time for Ida Mae, Arlette, and Tansy to travel to Mexico to pick him up. They have their itinerary all planned out—visiting the ruins in the Yucatan, shopping, playing in the sand and surf—and then they’ll head to Ren’s mission home and be reunited with that dear boy. But a wanted antiquities thief crosses their path, and soon the ladies find themselves tangled up in a web of lies, intrigue, and costly jewelry. Held hostage by men desperate for riches, they do what only they can do—keep their heads about them, plan their escape, and discuss the proper making of tortillas. Will they survive their most harrowing adventure yet?

Grab it. Read it. You're going to love it.

Purchase your copy of Targets in Ties, or start with Hang ‘Em High, Dearly Departed, and Secret Sisters.

Learn more about Tristi Pinkston and her work as an author, editor, and blogger.

Learn more about the publisher, Walnut Springs Press.

And now for the contest! *rubs hands together*

Leave a comment on this blog post, and go visit Tristi's blog at http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com and become a follower.  You will then be entered to win this fun scrapbooking pack, including paper, tags, two decals, and metal tag frames. You have until midnight Mountain time on March 3rd to enter to win.

The Ember Gods by Andrea Pearson

The blurb:

Jacob Clark has just returned from the world of Eklaron, where he frustrated the evil plans of the Lorkon and returned the magical Key of Kilenya to its rightful owners. His quest is far from over, though—Aloren is trapped in Maivoryl City by the Ember Gods, and Jacob can't return to save her until he receives the potion that will protect his team from the corrosive influence of the Lorkon.


Balancing between this new world and his own proves tricky. Not only has he started his first year of high school, but his magical abilities are bringing him too much attention. He feels pulled by both sides, hoping he'll figure out his special powers to save Aloren in time.

Pearson does a great job of weaving an imaginative tale of intrigue, action, and suspense all told from the point of view of fourteen-year-old Jacob. In this volume, Jacob’s brother Matt plays a key role, giving the reader an opportunity to see more into Jacob’s family and his regular life. I think it’s fun to see how Jacob is learning to balance his life as a human kid with his life as a super-hero (as his brother so aptly put it) in Eklaron.

The story is action packed, and fast paced, but not so much as to be exhausting, and lots of fun. I appreciate that Jacob is forced to figure things out for himself, and that the adults in his life don’t swoop in and solve problems for him, even when they’re really scary and really hard.

I’m loaning my Kindle to my 11 year old son, because this is just the kind of story he loves to read. Can’t wait to see the next book in the series!

Purchase your copy of The Ember Gods, and if you haven’t read it yet, start with The Key of Kilenya.

Learn more about author Andrea Pearson and her works.

Family by Design by Heather Justesen

You might already know I’m a big fan of Heather Justesen’s work. But this one, my friends, is my very favorite to date. Why? Because it’s different. It’s like a backward love story, and I appreciate the freshness of it. Also, I adore Tucker and Reena, and the kids that bring them together, and the way they work together to create a family unlike any of them had ever dreamed.

Also, there are some amazing kissing scenes in this story—the kind that leave the reader’s heart beating a little harder. But don’t worry, it’s absolutely clean. This is such a sweet story. If you’ve never read a Heather Justesen novel, I’d start with this one. For real. It’s fantastic.

Check out the blurb:

Before he could think better of it, he blurted out, “I understand your concerns. I’m going to speak to my commander about getting an early discharge. My girlfriend, Rena, and I have talked about getting married. There just hasn’t been any rush.


As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wondered what he was thinking. Yes, they had discussed marriage, but not to each other! He and Rena had never even dated.


Tucker’s on his way to the biggest challenge of his life. Rena already has it all—except a family of her own. But neither one expected their friendship would take such a dramatic turn.


When Tucker becomes the guardian of his newly orphaned niece and nephew, he knows he can’t handle them alone, not when he might be shipped out with the Marines at any moment. Desperate, he turns to Rena for a major favor. His marriage proposal would give her everything she wants, but can she learn to live without the romance she’s always dreamed of?


As time, prayer, and a life-changing kiss work a little magic in her heart, Rena wonders if someone up there has a plan for her that’s better than anything she could come up with on her own. And though it seems crazy at first, this could become her chance for a marriage that will last for eternity.

Also, as a special promotion for anyone who buys a book before January 31, you can get a free ebook for her companion novella, Shear Luck. Once you buy a copy of Family by Design go here to get your free copy.


As if that weren’t enough, Heather’s holding a host of giveaways on her blog throughout the next few weeks. Talk about awesome! (See the rules at the bottom of this post to enter.)


Now, just in case you aren’t sure you want a free ebook by Heather Justesen (and come on, who doesn’t want that?) here’s the blurb for Sheer Luck:

Chelsea Robison has never forgotten the older boy next door whom she crushed on as a teen, so when she runs into him at the restaurant he’s preparing to open, it’s a delightful shock. And learning he’s available again is more than a little tantalizing.


Vaughn Krenshaw had never seen his neighbor as more than a nice kid—but Chelsea had definitely grown up in the decade since they saw each other last. He’s attracted to the feisty red head, but still struggles over his wife’s death the previous year. And then there’s his five-year-old daughter, Molly, who really liked Chelsea—until she realized the woman was dating her dad.


As Chelsea starts to wonder if their love for each other will be enough to make things work, a specter from Vaughn’s past rises, making her question whether she really knew him at all.


Enter to win one of a whole slew of prizes Heather’s giving away.

Starting the Year Right

Believe it or not, I didn't read over the holiday break. Not for lack of material, mind you. Oh no, there's a stack of beautiful, exciting books sitting on my nightstand waiting for me to get to them. But I had other priorities. Like finishing a manuscript, and taking care of sick kids.

Luckily, these books of mine aren't going anywhere. And as soon as I finish the editing I started, I'm all over catching up on my reading so I can start the year right. (Beginning with the books I'm due to review this month.)

If you're wondering what's in that pile, here's a hint (just a few, as it's a long list):

Indellible by Lani Woodland
Crossed by Ally Condie
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin
Family by Design by Heather Justesen
The Ember Gods by Andrea Pearson

Have you read any of these yet? Tell me what you thought!

The Assassination of Governor Boggs by Rod Miller

I admit, I agreed to review this book because I was intrigued by the whole premise. The history surrounding the years in which this story takes place has always been of interest to me, especially since there are a lot of things (both facts and conjecture) I believe aren’t well known to those who don’t seek them out. This story definitely brought to light another side of certain stories I’d heard before.

The story (as it were) of the shooting of Governor Boggs is not one I was familiar with before now. While it’s well written and easy to read, because it’s told through the eyes of a fictional character, it’s hard to know what parts of the story are real and which are fabricated, so I’m still not quite sure how to feel about the outcome.

The factual aspects are more disturbing to me than the fictional ones, which, I believe, is what the author intended. The fact that a politician of such power and influence could issue an extermination order for an entire community of people just blows my mind. But on the other side (as Miller has eloquently explored) the Saints were not as innocent of crimes as most of us would like to believe. Miller takes us on a journey in which we must explore the multi-faceted facts (as presented through fiction) and decide for ourselves who was in the right. If anyone. Or maybe, just maybe, all parties were involved in wrongdoing.

Enter Porter Rockwell. As colorful, interesting, and frightening a character as ever truly lived. Was he really a hired gunman to the prophets of the Mormon Church? And did he actually fire the shot that almost killed Governor Boggs? And if he did, was it of his own volition, or on orders from someone else?

The one thing that bothered me in the fictional detective’s investigation is that there was another possible suspect who was named or mentioned more than once, and yet the detective never looked into that man. I felt that he came to his conclusion rather quickly, and without exploring other possibilities from which he might have gleaned more information. This might have something to do with the author not having access to the information surrounding the other suspect (a hazard of mixing fact and fiction). Despite this minor detail, this is a story worth reading, and one that will give readers food for thought about persecution in the early days of the Mormon Church.

This is definitely a book I'm recommending to other family members, or lovers of historical fiction based in this era.

Here’s the blurb:

Twenty-five years ago, Governor Lilburn Boggs was shot at his home, but the gunman was never found. Now Detective Calvin Pogue has been hired by the Boggs family to open the cold case. From one end of the country to the other Detective Pogue follows clues that lead him relentlessly to the legendary Mormon gunman, Porter Rockwell—who still isn’t making things easier for anyone.

Read more about Rod Miller on his website.
Purchase your copy of The Assassination of Governor Boggs.