The Last Letter Review

A Father’s Deceit
A Husband’s Betrayal
A Loved One’s Death
A Mother’s Choice
A Daughter’s Resentment
A Time to Forgive

For every daughter who thinks she knows her mother’s story…

Katherine wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t found the last letter…

Katherine Arthur’s dying mother arrives on her doorstep, forcing her to relive a past she wanted to forget. When Katherine was young, the Arthur family had been affluent city dwellers until shame sent them running for the prairie, into the unknown. Taking her family, including young Katherine, to live off the land was the last thing Jeanie Arthur had wanted, but she would do her best to make a go of it. For Jeanie’s husband Frank it had been a world of opportunity. Dreaming, lazy Frank. But, it was a society of uncertainty — a domain of natural disasters, temptation, hatred, even death.

Ten-year-old Katherine had loved her mother fiercely, put her trust in her completely, but when there was no other choice, and Jeanie resorted to extreme measures on the prairie to save her family, she tore Katherine’s world apart. Now, seventeen years later, Katherine has found the truth — she has discovered the last letter. After years of anger, can Katherine find it in her heart to understand why her mother made the decisions that changed them all? Can she forgive and finally begin to heal before it’s too late?

My Review

I was delighted to have had a chance to review another novel by Kathleen Shoop. She did not disappoint one bit with The Last Letter. It was something new and refreshing for me. I was ready for something set in the past. The things that the characters in the book were exposed to we are no longer exposed to those things. It was interesting to read what would have had to be done in order to survive. For instance buffalo chips, although the smell I'm sure was horrendous it most likely was nothing compared to the odor of the humans going days without being able to bathe.

*Spoiler*

I instantly connected with Jeanie. Being a woman of divorce and successfully remarried I felt for Jeanie during her times of frustrations with her husband Frank. It's hard to put 100% trust in a person. But his laziness wasn't helping hold his place in her heart. Her children on the other hand were easier for her to find patience with. Jeanie tried all she could to keep her family together but nothing is more certain than death and taxes. Her losses were catastrophic. She had multiple pregnancies that terminated early, lost a son in a winter storm, a daughter to starvation and her husband to a lonely woman. Her children seemed to be what kept her going and to be honest if I lived in her time it would be the only thing to keep me going also.

This was a great book! It was an easy read and it kept me enticed. Prairie life is both intense and intriguing. If you love history and drama you will find this book very interesting. It had my emotions going every which way and I loved every bit of it. 

Buy the book from.......

Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.com    Barnes and Noble

About the Author
A Language Arts Coach with a Ph.D. in Reading Education, Kathleen lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

Kathleen's debut novel, The Last Letter was garnered multiple awards in 2011.  Her second novel, After the Fog (Silver IPPY), was a category finalist in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Her third novel, Love and Other Subjects, earned a Silver medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention from the San Francisco Book Festival. Recently, Kathleen has released the her first romance novella, Home Again (Book One). Book Two, a novel-length work in the Endless Love series called Return to Love, will be released in May, 2014. Books Two and Three in the historical fiction series that started with The Last Letter are nearly complete and should be released by fall, 2014.

Kathleen has been featured in USA Today and the Writer’s Guide to 2013. Her work has appeared in The Tribune-Review, four Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and Pittsburgh Parent magazine. She lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

THREE Lucky Winners will each receive a $15 Amazon Giftcard,

courtesy of author of The Last Letter, Kathleen Shoop

Ending on Sunday 3rd August at 11.59pm EST

Open Worldwide

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A Guardian of Shadows Review

NEWLY RELEASED .....
A Guardian of Shadows (The Revenant Wyrd Saga #4) 

The thrilling sequel to The Well of Wyrding. In the enchanted lands of the Great Realms, Angelica, Jovian, and Joya are searching for their kidnapped sister, Amber. Their quest has led them through many dangers and many excitements, but nothing has prepared them for what’s about to come.

The wyr are alive, the Two who were never supposed to exist. They are destined to control the wyrd and fate of all mankind. Their very existence is destroying the world tree, on whose roots the fate of man is etched, and causing the Well of Wyrding, which sustains the world tree, to dissolve. Now Angelica and Jovian are hunted by the Norns, those three sisters of fate who guard the world tree and live at its roots, observing and preserving fate, who believe Angelica and Jovian are the wyr.

Angelica, Joya, and Jovian are on a race to escape the Norns as well as find their sister Amber, but with no clue where she could be, they turn their attention toward home, deep in the Holy Realm. The problem? Between them and their destination is the accursed land of eternal night: the Shadow Realm. Rumored to be filled with nightmarish creatures, forsaken to its shadowy depths, the Shadow Realm promises death to any from the Holy Realm who dare enter.

My review

After traveling for so long the Lafaye siblings have gathered infinite information about themselves and their family. Joya has found her calling as a realm gaurdian while her siblings Jovian and Angelica learn how to conjure their wyrd. Everyone has to battle the Norn who seem to be obsessed with the wry. Grace and her friends lose control of their bodies to the Norn but regain control eventually. Maeven learns he has the ability to change form. And  Amber is still missing but I am positive Mr. Simmons will not disappoint when it comes to explaining what has happened to her.

I am still intrigued by this saga. I haven't been able to put them down once I start. I am satisfied with the amount of information given in each book. It seems the action is a distraction from the fact that the siblings still haven't found Amber. I for one think that is a great trade off! If you love action and adventure.  If you're a mmo rpg gamer and/or love magic this is the saga for you. There are many races to keep your imagination flowing. You will truly enjoy these books.

Buy the Book from ......

Amazon.co.uk        Amazon.com

About the Author

Travis has been writing since he was 14.  He began writing a book called "The Calling of the Two" and while writing that on and off he started uncovering another idea.

"Yes, this is all well and good, but what about before? What happened in the world before these characters came into it?" He always knew there was a "before" and as he started wondering about it he got ideas. At first they were little ideas but as he discovered the names for his characters a whole story about them emerged.

Travis started working on The Revenant Wyrd Saga several years back and he is very happy he did because hearing and documenting Jovian and Angelica's story has been one wild ride for him.  He has also written the Infernal Design series.
 
He lives in a small town at the base of the Adirondack Mountains and hoofing around my neck of the woods gives him a ton of inspiration for his novels.   He loves research, and speculating on different ideas and theories.

Follow the Author.....

Website    Facebook    Twitter    Google+    Pinterest    Goodreads

Also available in The Revenant Wyrd Saga

  

 
(Books #5 due July 2014, #6 due August 2014)

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon Giftcard

Open Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 27th July at 11.59pm EST 

Enter Below & Good Luck !!

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The Well of Wyrding Review

The The Well of Wyrding  (The Revenant Wyrd Saga #3)

"Experience the long anticipated sequel to The Mirror of the Moon.

In the fantastical lands of the Great Realms, Angelica, Jovian, and Joya are on the search for their older sister Amber, who has been kidnapped by the villain, Porillon. But Amber has slipped away from all of them, and where she has gone is as big a mystery as why she was taken. While they are searching for their sister, Porillon strikes a staggering blow to the entire land.

The Well of Wyrding, a mythic well which contains the magic and fate of every creature in the Great Realms, has been poisoned creating havoc as the magic power of wyrd becomes toxic.

While Grace, Rosalee, and Dalah seek a way to purify the Well of Wyrding, wyrd is going haywire, buildings fashioned with wyrd are turning to pinnacles of terror; wyrd is working against its casters; and people are taking up arms against the threat sorcerers and their kind pose.

But the toxic wyrd is causing a new problem to arise. They are called caustics: those wyrders who have been completely taken over by their chaotic wyrd. Husks of what they once were, they are now a vessel for Chaos in the realms."

My Review

*Spoiler Alert*

[Chaos has run a muck! Controlling their own wyrd has become impossible and the well of wyrding needs cleansing. Jovian, Joya, and Angelica are still one short of their quadruplet ensemble. Amber becomes free of Porillon and escapes into the realm before her siblings catch up with her.The siblings each learn more about themselves and their power. They also get many of their questions answered by their mother.]

Once again Travis seamlessly attaches another book to his saga. I Love all of twist and turns and the fact that I really can't predict what will happen next. Like I have said before Travis is spectacular at drawing the reader in and leaving you wanting more. Detail, detail, detail is his style of writing. If your looking to action and adventure I recommend this book.

Buy the Book from.....
Amazon.co.uk        Amazon.com

About the Author

Travis has been writing since he was 14.  He began writing a book called "The Calling of the Two" and while writing that on and off he started uncovering another idea.

"Yes, this is all well and good, but what about before? What happened in the world before these characters came into it?" He always knew there was a "before" and as he started wondering about it he got ideas. At first they were little ideas but as he discovered the names for his characters a whole story about them emerged.

Travis started working on The Revenant Wyrd Saga several years back and he is very happy he did because hearing and documenting Jovian and Angelica's story has been one wild ride for him.  He has also written the Infernal Design series.

He lives in a small town at the base of the Adirondack Mountains and hoofing around my neck of the woods gives him a ton of inspiration for his novels.   He loves research, and speculating on different ideas and theories.

Follow the Author

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Google+   Pinterest   Goodreads

Also available in The Revenant Wyrd Saga

  

 
(coming soon)

Follow The Tour


I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon Giftcard

Open Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 29th June at 11.59pm EST 

Enter Below & Good Luck !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UtechSmart Gaming Mouse Review

I purchased this mouse for one reason and one reason only........Guild Wars 2. With that being said here is my honest review:

   The mouse you see in the picture is UtechSmart's Laser Precision MMO Gaming Mouse with 16400DPI. DPI means Dots Per Inch which in a way explains how fast your mouse (arrow) moves across the screen. This in turn gives you your reaction time while gaming. 16,400 DPI is ridiculous and awesome! 

   Of course there are other features that I love about this mouse. We all know gamers love to customize. With this mouse you can customize the color, the weight, the DPI, and the buttons. I can play my favorite game with one hand! When I first purchased the mouse I was concerned about whether it would feel comfortable in my small hand but it feels great and I love it. I recommend this mouse to any computer gamer. Click here if you want to learn a little more about this product.

What's in the package

UtechSmart Venus MMO Gaming mouse
CD Driver
Weight Tuning Cartridge
Quick Start Guide
Backup Durable Smooth TEFLON feet pads

*Images (www.utechsmart.com)

The Mirror of the Moon Book Review

The Mirror Of The Moon (The Revenant Wyrd Saga #2) 

The exciting sequel to The Bonds of Blood.

In the mystical lands of the Great Realms,twenty-one year-old Angelica, Jovian, and Joya pair up with their mentor Grace in pursuit of their kidnapped sister and heir to their plantation, Amber. Their quest suddenly changes when an ancient enemy of their family, Porillon, appears with Amber. A dangerous battle ensues, threatening one of their lives, and a new insight about their family is revealed, making the group question what Grace knows, and what she might be hiding. Porillon slips away with Amber, but Angelica and Jovian's visions hint that their sister may have been taken to the Mirror of the Moon, an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess. 

Finding sanctuary with the elves and dwarves in the Mountains of Nependier, the group presses Grace to answer questions about their family's past. Their insistence leads to a revelation the youths aren't ready to handle. While they are still reeling from the news, Angelica and Jovian begin to feel a strange new consciousness waking inside of them, and what's more unnerving, it's taking over their individual thoughts...and joining them into one.

My Review

This being the second book of the series I expected it to drag a little. But none of it mattered because I knew why.Travis Simmons gets very in dept with his descriptions only because he really wants his readers to see exactly what he sees. That to me is a good enough reason to drag the story line just a wee bit.

*May Contain Spoilers*
Jovian lives! And oh how does he live. He not only finds more of himself but he even finds himself a lover. He has a deep connection with his sister Angelica to the point where they can communicate without speaking. Sister Joya chooses a side and chooses wrong. But she redeems herself and goes into training to become a better wyrder. Though Amber is still missing from the quadruplet siblings I am almost positive she will return to them soon. I hope.

Other characters come about in the Mirror of the Moon that were either not present in the first novel or were mentioned briefly. Grace is becoming one of my favorite characters. I empathize with her because of her aching joints and having to deal with youth that despise her and love her all the same. I also can't wait to see what her and her clique of elderly women have up their sleeves.

I will say it once again this series is great if you love fantasy adventure novels. You will quickly be immersed in the realms and feel as though you personally know these characters and their world.

Buy the Book from.....

Amazon.co.uk        Amazon.com

About the Author

Travis has been writing since he was 14.  He began writing a book called "The Calling of the Two" and while writing that on and off he started uncovering another idea.

"Yes, this is all well and good, but what about before? What happened in the world before these characters came into it?" He always knew there was a "before" and as he started wondering about it he got ideas. At first they were little ideas but as he discovered the names for his characters a whole story about them emerged.

Travis started working on The Revenant Wyrd Saga several years back and he is very happy he did because hearing and documenting Jovian and Angelica's story has been one wild ride for him.  He has also written the Infernal Design series.

He lives in a small town at the base of the Adirondack Mountains and hoofing around my neck of the woods gives him a ton of inspiration for his novels.   He loves research, and speculating on different ideas and theories.

Follow the Author

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Google+   Pinterest   Goodreads 

Also available in The Revenant Wyrd Saga

  
(Book #4 due May 2014)
 
(coming soon)

Follow The Tour


I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon Giftcard

Open Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 1st June at 11.59pm EST 

Enter Below & Good Luck !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Bonds of Blood Review Book 1

The Bonds of Blood (The Revenant Wyrd Saga #1) 

In the world of Saracin, the Goddess damns the earth that killed her two beloved angels and tears it into six realms. As a reminder of their transgression, each person is branded with a stigmata on their palms as testament of their home realm and their separation from the Goddess.

Thirty years later, in the Holy Realm, Jovian, Angelica, Amber, and Joya, quadruplets whose mother died in childbirth, have just reached their 21st spring and are now adults. When terrible visions depicting the downfall of their family stir within Jovian and Angelica, they struggle to make sense of what they have seen while trying to live a normal life.

After Amber is kidnapped in the night, her three siblings are drawn into a dangerous pursuit across the Great Realms to find her. With every step they uncover more mystery surrounding their families past, and something far worse--an ancient enemy that could threaten their hope of ever seeing Amber alive again.

Will this enemy grant the answers they seek, or will she fray the tenuous threads binding them to their old lives?   Buy The Bonds of Blood today and enter a dangerous world of magic!

My Review

Okay so it has been awhile since my last book review. I have also been waiting for something different to try, a new genre. I have to say I am very impressed.

Travis Simmons' book The Bonds of Blood was one of the best fantasy books I have read in a long time! In the beginning it was a little hard to keep up with what was going on because of the many point of views but as I read I became familiar with Mr. Simmons' style of writing. His descriptions were very vivid and clear.

The story of Jovian and his sisters, Amber, Angelica, and Joya begins with mystery. When their 21st birthday arrives they receive gifts from their deceased mother that they later learn will become more important to them than when they first received them. For years a secret has been hidden from the siblings that may or may not have prevented them from the mission of having to save their sister Amber who was kidnapped from her bedroom. 

*Spoilers*

This first book of the series really helps you to grow with the characters. You're there with them when they lose their virginity and as they figure out their strengths and weaknesses. I really connected with Joya as she struggled with what is right and what is wrong. I can't wait to read the second book to see which direction she levitates toward. I'm also interested in finding out how Jovian will be brought back and if this family will end up with the weight of their entire realm on their shoulders. 

I recommend this Series to anyone who loves fantasy or mythical books.There are so many different races and I'm sure there might be even more within the other realms, that will surely spark your imagination!

Buy the book from....

Amazon.co.uk        Amazon.com

About the Author

Travis has been writing since he was 14.  He began writing a book called "The Calling of the Two" and while writing that on and off he started uncovering another idea.

"Yes, this is all well and good, but what about before? What happened in the world before these characters came into it?" He always knew there was a "before" and as he started wondering about it he got ideas. At first they were little ideas but as he discovered the names for his characters a whole story about them emerged.

Travis started working on The Revenant Wyrd Saga several years back and he is very happy he did because hearing and documenting Jovian and Angelica's story has been one wild ride for him.  He has also written the Infernal Design series.
 
He lives in a small town at the base of the Adirondack Mountains and hoofing around my neck of the woods gives him a ton of inspiration for his novels.   He loves research, and speculating on different ideas and theories.

Follow the Author

Website, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Goodreads

Also available in The Revenant Wyrd Saga

  
(Books #3 due April 2014, #4 due May 2014)
 
(coming soon)

Follow The Tour


I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY !!

One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon Giftcard

Open Worldwide

Ending on Sunday 4th May at 11.59pm EST 

Enter Below & Good Luck !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway