2017 Literary Escapes Challenge--Year End Update

Challenge – Try to read 1 book set in each of the 50 states + the District of Columbia. (51 Points). If you complete the challenge you earn 50 Bonus Points. You also can earn Bonus Points for books set in Countries around the world. 1 Bonus Point for each country. (No repeats – only 1 point can be earned for each country.) Your books can be fiction or non-fiction and can be in any format, print, digital, audio. 


Alabama--To Kill A  Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Alaska--Finding Justice by Kathi Daley

Arizona--Sprinkle With Murder by Jenn McKinlay

Arkansas--Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women Of Little Rock by David Margolick

California--Scheduled To Death by Mary Feliz

Colorado--Fatality By Firelight by Lynn Cahoon

Connecticut--Pick Your Potion by C.C. Dragon

Delaware--Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

District of Columbia--Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich

Florida--Child's Play by Merry Jones

Georgia--15 Minutes by Larissa Reinhart

Hawaii--Murder At Turtle Cove by Kathi Daley

Idaho--Blue Heaven by C.J. Box

Illinois--Life After by Katie Ganshert

Indiana--When The Grits Hit The Fan by Maddie Day

Iowa--Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched The World by Vicki Myron

Kansas--Brake Failure by Alison Brodie

Kentucky--A Ghostly Mortality by Tonya Kappes

Louisiana--A Fatal Romance by June Shaw

Maine--Telling Tails by Sofie Ryan

Maryland--Courtyard Corpse by Sherry Lodge

Massachusetts--The Witch And The Dead by Heather Blake

Michigan--My Perfect Imperfections by Jalpa Williby

Minnesota-- 

Mississippi--

Missouri-- 

Montana--Vangie Vale and the Murdered Macaron by R.L. Syme

Nebraska-- 

Nevada--Vanilla Beaned by Jenn McKinlay

New Hampshire--It's Always The Husband by Michele Campbell

New Jersey--

New Mexico--The Night Journal by Elizabeth Crook

New York-- 

North Carolina--Purr M For Murder by T.C. LoTempio

North Dakota--Badlands by C. J. Box

Ohio--Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda

Oklahoma--Gone With The Wings by Leena Clover

Oregon--The Shadow by Kathi Daley

Pennsylvania-- 

Rhode Island--Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

South Carolina--What She Inherits by Diane V. Mulligan

South Dakota--These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Tennessee--The Big Overnight by Libby Kirsch

Texas--Say Goodbye For Now by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Utah--

Vermont--The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian

Virginia--

Washington--A Winter's Tail by Kathi Daley

West Virginia-- 

Wisconsin--Avery: The Case Against Steven Avery and What "Making a Murderer" Gets Wrong by Ken Kratz

Wyoming--Open Season by C.J. Box


International Settings
Canada--Holiday Hangover by Kathi Daley
Italy--A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay
Greece--Evanthia's Gift by Effie Kammenou
France--Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Egypt--Exodus 95 by Kfir Luzzatto
England--I Found You by Lisa Jewell
Australia--The Secret Daughter by Kelly Rimmer

Love, Secrets and Absolution by K.L. Lovely

BOOK INFORMATION

Genre: Family life, coming of age

Paperback: 280 pages

• Publisher: Globeflower Books (November 1, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1999829409
• ISBN-13: 978-1999829407

Synopsis: People in the village gossip about Grace’s son, Alfie. 

He’s a lonely boy full of secrets, lies, and obsessive thoughts. 

How far can a mother’s love go? Will she ultimately sacrifice her life for his? 

Set in Nottinghamshire, this family drama follows the lives of Grace and Alfie as he transforms from a naïve, young boy into a teenager spiraling out of control. 

Love, Secrets, and Absolution is a coming of age story with a difference. 

Deceit, betrayal, love, and addiction, a family falling apart in the midst of teenage angst and torn loyalties; will anybody find absolution? 

Review: This book is the story of a family of a child with Asperberger's Syndrome. Although we don't learn exactly what makes Alfie so different until he is a college student, I had a strong suspicion much sooner based on his behaviors and his feelings.

The book has chapters from the point of view of Grace (the mother), Alfie (the child) and Paul (the father). I loved the chapters from Alfie's point of view as an infant and toddler--they were definitely a new perspective on things.

Reading all the challenges this family went through over the years and seeing how each of them dealt with those challenges (too much trying to keep things from the others, in my opinion!), was a deeply emotional experience. 

The ending is very realistic, giving the reader hope for Alfie's future without tying everything up in a neat little bow.

I received an ARC of this work from the author and publisher, with no expectation of a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Rating: Five stars

About the author

 K.L Loveley is an exciting new author whose debut novel, ‘Alice’ was published in February 2017. Her love of writing began with a gift of a five-year lockup diary at the age of seven and she has never stopped writing since. In addition to writing novels, the author writes poetry and will be sharing some of these on her blog.

She lives with her husband in a quaint village in Nottinghamshire and enjoys walking and cycling in the famous Sherwood Forest. The author and her husband own a narrowboat and spend time navigating the British waterways. She spends many cozy evenings on her boat writing additional novels which will be released in the future.

BLOG TOUR: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Book Information

Genre: Thriller

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 9, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1250130921
• ISBN-13: 978-1250130921

Synopsis: "A jaw-dropping psychological thriller." —Publishers Weekly, starred review 

"Fiendishly clever...in the vein of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. This one will keep you guessing." –Anita Shreve, New York Times bestselling author of The Stars are Fire

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love. 
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies.

Review: This story has more surprises than Christmas morning! Every time you think you know what's happening, and why, the entire story gets turned upside down. 

When the story begins, it appears to be about the perfect couple with the perfect marriage, until issues begin to surface and the husband leaves for someone else, whom he plans to make his third wife. The further you go into the story, however, the darker it becomes, with twists and turns continuing all the way to the very last page.

Since finishing this book, I have read that it has been optioned for a movie, which is one that will definitely go on my must-watch list. 

It's difficult to say too much about this one without giving away the story, but I will say that I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense-filled thrillers.

Rating: Four stars

About the authors

Greer Hendricks spent over two decades as an editor. Her writing has been published in The New York Times and Publishers Weekly. The Wife Between Us is her first novel.


 Sarah is the mother of three young boys, which explains why she writes part of her novels at Chuck E. Cheese. Sarah penned her first book, Miscellaneous Tales and Poems, at the age of 10. When publishers failed to jump upon this literary masterpiece (hey, all the poems rhymed!) Sarah followed up by sending them a sternly-worded letter on Raggedy Ann stationery. Sarah still has that letter and carries it to New York every time she has meetings with her publisher, as a reminder that dreams do come true. 

Her website is www.sarahpekkanen.com and please find her on Facebook Instagram and Twitter @sarahpekkanen!

Find purchase links, more teaser trailers, and more information about the authors here.

BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Honey-Baked Homicide (Down South Cafe Mystery #3) by Gayle Leeson

Honey-Baked Homicide (A Down South Café Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 

3rd in Series 

Setting - Virginia 

Berkley (December 5, 2017) 

Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages 

ISBN-13: 978-1101990827 

E-Book ASIN: B06XJM6VGH 

 

Synopsis: The owner of a delightful Southern café tastes the sharp sting of suspicion in this delectable comfort food mystery . . . It’s fall in Winter Garden, Virginia, and business at Amy Flowers’ Down South Café has never been better. So when struggling beekeeper Stuart Landon asks Amy to sell some of his honey, she’s happy to help. The jars of honey are a sweet success, but their partnership is cut short when Amy discovers Landon’s body outside the café early one morning. As Amy tries to figure out who could possibly have wanted to harm the unassuming beekeeper, she discovers an ever-expanding list of suspects—and they’re all buzzing mad. She’ll have to use all of her skills—and her Southern charm—to find her way out of this sticky situation...

Review: This is the third book in the series, and each one has been more exciting than the last. Each book is also easily read as a stand-alone novel if you prefer.

Amy Flowers is an independent, strong-willed woman with a fascinating array of family and friends surrounding her. I love that one of her customers, Homer, has a new hero every day whom he shares with Amy over his breakfast, along with a memorable quote from the day's hero. I have taken to writing down my favorite quotes to memorize them.

The murder victim in this story was a quiet, unassuming man who was hiding from his past and attempting to protect his family from harm--and was passionate about beekeeping and bees. When we meet his children and his nephew after his death, as well as a neighbor who seems suspicious, there is no shortage of suspects.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a cozy mystery fan.

Rating: Four stars

About the Author

Gayle Leeson is a pseudonym for Gayle Trent. I also write as Amanda Lee. As Gayle Trent, I write the Daphne Martin Cake Mystery series and the Myrtle Crumb Mystery series. As Amanda Lee, I write the Embroidery Mystery series.

The cake decorating series features a heroine who is starting her life over in Southwest Virginia after a nasty divorce. The heroine, Daphne, has returned to her hometown of Brea Ridge to open a cake baking and decorating business and is wrestling with the question of whether or not one can go home again. She enjoys spending time with her sister, nephew, and niece, but she and her mother have a complicated relationship that isn’t always pleasant. Daphne has also reconnected with her high school sweetheart and is pursuing a rekindled romance while desperately trying to put her past behind her.

Kerry Vincent, Hall of Fame Sugar Artist, Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show Director, and Television Personality says the series is “a must read for cake bakers and anyone who has ever spent creative time in the kitchen!”

Says Dean Koontz, #1 New York Times bestselling author, “One day I found myself happily reading . . . mysteries by Gayle Trent. If she can win me over . . . she’s got a great future.”

The Embroidery Mystery series features a heroine who recently moved to the Oregon coast to open an embroidery specialty shop. Marcy Singer left her home in San Francisco, along with the humiliation of being left at the altar, in order to move to Tallulah Falls and realize her dream of owning her own shop. She takes along her faithful companion, a one-year-old Irish wolfhound named Angus O’Ruff. She makes many new friends in Tallulah Falls, but she also makes a few enemies. Thankfully, her best friend Sadie MacKenzie and her husband Blake run the coffeehouse right down the street from Marcy’s shop, the Seven-Year Stitch; and Detective Ted Nash always has her back.

Publishers Weekly says, “Fans of the genre will take kindly to Marcy, her Irish wolfhound, Angus O’Ruff, and Tallulah Falls. This is a fast, pleasant read with prose full of pop culture references and, of course, sharp needlework puns.”

Pat Cooper of RT Book Reviews says, “If her debut here is any indication, Lee’s new series is going to be fun, spunky and educational. She smoothly interweaves plot with her character’s personality and charm, while dropping tantalizing hints of stitching projects and their history. Marcy Singer is young, fun, sharp and likable. Readers will be looking forward to her future adventures.” (RT Book Reviews nominated The Quick and the Thread for a 2010 Book Reviewers’ Choice Award in the Amateur Sleuth category)

I live in Virginia with my family, which includes her own “Angus” who is not an Irish wolfhound but a Great Pyrenees who provides plenty of inspiration for the character of Mr. O’Ruff. I'm having a blast writing this new series!

Webpage: http://www.gayleleeson.com http://www.gayletrent.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GayleTrentandAmandaLee/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GayleTrent 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gayletrent/pins/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gayletrentleeson/ 

Purchase Links:

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Indiebound

  a Rafflecopter giveaway 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS 

December 4 – Bibliophile Reviews -  REVIEW, GUEST POST 

December 4 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT 

December 4 – The Montana Bookaholic - SPOTLIGHT 

December 5 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews  - REVIEW 

December 5 – A Holland Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST 

December 6 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT 

December 6 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT 

December 7 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder - REVIEW, RECIPE 

December 7 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW   

December 8 – Reading Is My SuperPower - REVIEW 

December 8 – Teresa Trent Author Blog – INTERVIEW 

December 9 – The Power of Words – REVIEW 

December 9 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW, RECIPE 

December 9 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW 

December 10 – Bookworm Cafe – REVIEW 

December 10 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews - REVIEW, GUEST POST 

December 11 –Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW 

December 11 – The Ninja Librarian - REVIEW, INTERVIEW 

December 12 – Varietats – REVIEW 

December 12 – A Chick Who Reads - REVIEW 

December 13 – Brooke Blogs - SPOTLIGHT 

December 13 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW 

December 14 – StoreyBook Reviews - REVIEW 

December 14 – Valerie's Musings - GUEST POST 

December 15 – Melina's Book Blog - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST 

December 15 – Book Babble – REVIEW 

December 16 – Sapphyria's Books – REVIEW 

December 16 – Laura's interests – CHARACTER GUEST POST 

December 17 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW 

December 17 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW 

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BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Of Murder and Men (Cat Latimer Mystery #3) by Lynn Cahoon

Of Murder and Men (A Cat Latimer Mystery) by Lynn Cahoon

 

Of Murder and Men (A Cat Latimer Mystery) 

Cozy Mystery 

3rd in Series 

Kensington (November 28, 2017) 

Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages 

ISBN-13: 978-1496704399 

Digital ASIN: B06XFJCBTD 

Audio ISBN-13: 978-1541460300

Love is in the air in Aspen Hills, and it’s making a terrible mess of Cat Latimer’s writers’ retreat—especially when blood stains the plot . . . Ever since her business partner, Shauna, fell for a wealthy landowner in town, Cat has been working double time to keep her writers’ retreat running. And with the January session almost underway, that spells trouble. As if scheduling mishaps aren’t disastrous enough, Shauna skips out on kitchen duties one morning, forcing Cat to serve unsuspecting guests store-bought muffins . . . But best laid plans really go awry when Shauna discovers her beau missing from their bed. When his body later turns up in the horse barn, they quickly find out the victim’s scandalous lifestyle left many dying for revenge. While balancing an eccentric group of aspiring writers and a suspect list for the record books, Cat soon finds herself on the heels of a killer—and authoring her most deadly conclusion yet . . .

Review: Another writer's retreat, another murder mystery. This one really hits close to home, with Shauna being the prime suspect in the murder of her fiance. On top of that, Cat is still digging into the mystery surrounding her ex-husband Michael's death.

As usual, the author blends the main characters, recurring supporting characters and new visitors to create a compelling story. There is plenty of suspense and action, mixed in with humor and romance. We get realistic wrap-ups to both of the mysteries. Hopefully knowing what happened to Michael will allow Cat to move on with her life in the future.

Highly recommend this to all fans of cozy mysteries.

Rating:  Four stars

About The Author

Lynn Cahoon is the author of the NYT and USA Today best-selling Tourist Trap cozy mystery series. Guidebook to Murder, book 1 of the series won the Reader’s Crown for Mystery Fiction in 2015. She also pens the recently released, Cat Latimer series.  She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and two fur babies. Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com

Author Links

• Goodreads –http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5857424.Lynn_Cahoon
• Twitter – https://twitter.com/LynnCahoon
• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LynnCahoonAuthor
• Amazon author page – http://www.amazon.com/Lynn-Cahoon/e/B0082PWOAO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
• Website – http://lynncahoon.com/

• Purchase Links
  • Amazon
  • Nook
  • Kobo 
  • Google Play

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
December 1 – Valerie's Musings - REVIEW
December 1 – 3 Partners in shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
December 2 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW
December 2 – Reading Is My SuperPower – GUEST POST
December 3 – Books,Dreams,Life – SPOTLIGHT
December 3 – The Montana Bookaholic - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
December 4 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
December 4 – Island Confidential - CHARACTER INTERVIEW
December 5 – I Wish I Lived in a Library – REVIEW
December 5 – Deal Sharing Aunt – SPOTLIGHT
December 6 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews - REVIEW
December 6 – Varietats - REVIEW, GUEST POST
December 7 – My Reading Journeys - REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW
December 7 – Mythical Books - INTERVIEW
December 8 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
December 9 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
December 10 – Melina's Book Blog – REVIEW
December 11 – Book Babble – REVIEW
December 12 – Babs Book bistro – SPOTLIGHT
December 12 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 13 – The Bookwyrm's Hoard - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
December 13 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
December 14 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW  
December 14 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

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The Christmas Letter (A Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery) by Kathi Daley

Book Information

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: A Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 1, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 197750079X
• ISBN-13: 978-1977500793

Synopsis: A cozy mystery series featuring family who are friends and friends who are family. Set in the small town of White Eagle Montana, the series features Tess and her dog Tilly, who spend their days delivering the latest gossip along with the daily mail. When a close friend is murdered they join forces with the new Veterinarian in town to sleuth out the truth behind the shocking murder that is rocking the community as it prepares for the annual Christmas Festival. 

If you love small towns, endearing relationships, food, animals, and a touch of murder, you will love this new mystery series by Kathi Daley, author of the popular Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery Series.

Review: Kathi Daley is a writing superstar. This is her EIGHTH series, and she continues to write each and every one without making them repetitive or predictable. Each one is written in a slightly different style or voice so that they are unique entities, even with the occasional crossover of characters.

This new series features Tess, a small town mail carrier, her dog Tilly and her new cat Tangle. Tess has a very friendly relationship with everyone on her mail route, so when one of the town's residents is murdered (and Tess finds the body) it's no surprise that she would want to find out who killed him and why. With the help of her computer expert friend, Tony, and her best friend, Bree, she works to uncover the secrets Pike was holding---and we learn Tess and Tony are working on a mystery in Tess's life as well.  Tess also has a budding romance with the new veterinarian in town, so there are going to be a lot of irons in the fire for her as this series continues.

All of the major characters are very well developed, with hints of things still to learn about them. The animals are an integral part of the story, which is true in many of Ms. Daley's series. The identity of the murderer and the motive are not readily discernible, but the clues are there if you pay close attention.

As always with Ms. Daley's books, I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good cozy
--and I look forward to the next installment.

Rating: Five stars

About the author

Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. 
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries. 

Join her on Facebook at Kathi Daley Books (www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks) for updates on her books, photos of life in Lake Tahoe, recipes, contests, and giveaways. For weekly updates and contests sign up for The Daley Weekly Newsletter (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf). 

BLOG TOUR: Sparkling Fountain by Oranmore

Book Information

Genre: Poetry

Paperback: 250 pages

• Publisher: Clink Street Publishing (30 Nov. 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1912262185
• ISBN-13: 978-1912262182

Sparkling Fountain: Collected Poems

Life and death, conflict and oppression, nature, love, philosophy and faith. The poems of Oranmore resonate with deep, universal themes and are based on real events and poignant personal experiences. From growing up in Ireland to the 100th Birthday of his father — 4th Lord Oranmore and Browne and the longest serving member of The House of Lords — and his travels across the globe, Sparkling Fountain combines both previously published and new poems to create a fine original collection which is a joy for all to read.

Purchase from Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/SparklingThe -Fountain-Collected-Poems-Oranmore-ebook/dp/B077N6RMJJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1511876622&sr=1-1&keywords=the+sparkling+fountain

Review: As someone who has been writing poetry for over 45 years, I am always on the lookout for new to me poets with collections of poems about a variety of subjects. 

The poems are divided into several sections, each section with a common thread--stories, dedications, exalted heights, love poetry, the garden of growth, the light of humanity and timeless days. Poems written about the loss of his brother and his father are deeply emotional. 

His section of love poems were my favorites, as they are what I tend to write the most of myself.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to read some modern day poetry with real emotion and often deep meanings.

Rating: Four stars

About the author: Oranmore, also known as Dominick Mereworth, is a poet and playwright. He has had numerous anthologies previously published including The Glory of Glories: Inspirational Poetry (Arcturus Press 2005) and has had a number of plays produced on Fringe Theatre London including Seal of Rome in Belfast and I married Madeline as well as others produced in Belfast and Cork. Over the years Dominick has also had short stories published to wide acclaim in national magazines. In addition, he continues to work extensively in the voluntary and charity sector including: Kent Refugee Action Network and Rapid Ireland, he is the president of Celtic Vision and Vice-President for both Veterans in Europe and Montecassino Federation for Remembrance and Reconciliation. His father, 4th Lord Oranmore and Browne, was to date the longest serving member of The House of Lords and Dominick succeeded him in 2002 to become the 5th Baron. Today he lives in London with his family.

Family Honor Plate and Table Thyme Discussion Cards #HonorPlate #FlyBy

Today I am sharing a couple of fun family Christmas gift ideas. I am keeping one for my own home, and giving the other as a gift to a young family who will have many years to use it.

FAMILY HONOR PLATE


The Family Honor Plate is a DIY craft kit. You can create an original family design, paint your plate, then bake it to make the design last. Once that fun part is over, you now have a unique plate which can be used as a teaching tool--to help everyone in the family learn more about the fruits of the spirit as described in Galatians 5 (which are pre-printed around the plate) and to celebrate whenever a family member has been a blessing to someone else (can also be used to celebrate each family member's birthday). 

THE STEPS FOR USING THE PLATE:

Step #1 - PARENTS SHOULD BE THE EXAMPLE: Our children are watching us and learning from us. This is how they learn what character (Christ's Character) is, what it looks like, what it feels like. The virtues are listed in the center of the plate for parents to use as their moral compass.  

Step #2 - BE ON THE LOOKOUT: Look for the good choices and attitudes your kids/spouse are making and showing throughout the day. Track it back to the virtues listed on the plate.

Step #3 - CELEBRATE THEIR CHARACTER: When you catch someone making good choices and showing good character, present their meal on the FAMILY HONOR PLATE that evening at mealtime. Talk about the good choices they made and the virtues and character that it showed (Be specific about how they were a blessing). Talk about how their actions were POWERFUL and BEAUTIFUL because of the impact they made in someone's life. 

I am gifting this to my son, daughter-in-law and one-year-old grandson, with the hope it will get YEARS of use in their home and be a huge blessing for all of them.

You can visit their site to order your own kit: https://honorplate.com/products/honor-plate

TABLE THYME DISCUSSION CARDS



This set of questions are great conversation starters and make it easy to include adults as well as children. We used them during our recent Thanksgiving dinner, and plan to include them as part of every future family dinner as well.

Every question is followed up with "Why?" to take everyone's answers to a deeper more intimate level.  That's where the magic is and the real conversation starts. So now when even a simple question such as..."What is your favorite dessert?" for example, rather than someone answering "Apple Pie" and then moving on to the next person, the whole family gets to walk down memory lane because it reminds them of Grandma Smith who always made apple pies with them when they came to visit." Her house always smelled of freshly baked pies and she gave the best hugs when we walked in the door." 

Communication is the key to connecting, building and maintaining healthy relationships.  When we raise our children to be confident in their ability to communicate with others and get their point across, situations are less stressful and they have better outcomes.

To order the cards, visit here: https://honorplate.com/products/table-thyme-cards

BOOK TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Rasputin's Legacy (Cold War Book 2) by Lee Jackson

BOOK INFORMATION
Genre: Thriller

• Series: Cold War (Book 2)
• Paperback
• Publisher: Stonewall Publishers, LLC (June 27, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0989802507
• ISBN-13: 978-0989802505

His Code Name Is Atcho, a Cuban-born West Point graduate. He is the only covert operative on earth to be trusted by both the President of the United States and the Premier of the Soviet Union. A chance meeting of Rasputin, a mysterious monk with the daughters of the last Czar deep in the forests of Russia sets in motion cataclysmic events that surface 70 years later. Atcho finds himself battling a mysterious religious sect, the KGB, the Soviet military, and the Communist Party to save the National Power that had kept him imprisoned for more than 19 years – and he must do it without help or assistance from US intelligence resources. Failure would result in placing the full nuclear capabilities and military might of the Soviet Union into the hands of a madman bent on world domination.

Review: I originally was interested in this book because of the mention of Rasputin and the Romanovs. While that was a part of all the intrigue, I found the full plot of the book to be even more thrilling than I expected. We are treated to "appearances" by both Reagan and Gorbachev....and there is a surprise identity "reveal" at the end of the book as well.

While this is a novel, it is based on actual events and the main character is based on a real person (there is information about that at the end of the book). It tends to be a little over the top at times, reminiscent of a James Bond movie. In spite of that, or maybe because of it, I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. I couldn't wait to see how various people or groups of people were going to get out of their situations and complete the mission.

Overall, this is a well-written book with lots of action and surprising twists. I would highly recommend it to fans of thrillers, spy stories, and/or political thrillers.

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

Rating: Four stars

Four  Buy the Book....
Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com    Barnes and Noble   Kobo   Paperback

"Pure Gold!" CarmineZozzora, Producer of Die Hard with a Vengeance and Color of Night.

 "Espionage, subterfuge ... absolutely stunning...." Midwest Book Review.

 "Wow!. A must read." Joe Galloway, NYT Bestselling Author of We Were Soldiers Once...and Young (adapted to a Mel Gibson movie) and We Are Soldiers Still.

 "Riveting! Thrilling ..." Kris"Tanto" Paronto, Hero of Benghazi, Bestselling Author of The Ranger Way.

 "With this page-turning thriller, Lee connects the brooding mystic Rasputinto the Cold War, traces his dark influence into the present, and makesit relevant to today's churning world events. Stunning!" Bill Thompson, Editor of Stephen King's Carrie and John Grisham's The Firm.

 "Clearly one of the best books of historical fiction I have ever read. Extremely entertaining and educational at the same time." Lieutenant-General RickLynch (Retired), former Commanding General, 3rd Infantry Division during the Surge in Iraq.

Also Available in the Cold War Series

Curse The Moon

Lee Jackson Brings Heat To The Cold War.

His code-name is Atcho. He leads guerrilla fighters through the US-supported insurgency that rages at the Bay of Pigs in the early days of Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Captured and cast into the island’s worst dungeons, Atcho learns that a phantom-like officer of the Soviet KGB shadows him. Inexplicably released from incarceration and still dedicated to his country, he battles through the bowels of the Kremlin in Moscow, into the granite halls at West Point, and finally to highest levels in Washington, DC. Atcho’s rise opens doors into US National Defense even as the seemingly omniscient KGB officer holds unflinching sway over his actions. His public life clashes with secrets that only he and his tormentor share, isolating him in a world of intrigue among people whom he is determined not to betray – and then he finds that he is the trigger that could spark thermonuclear war.

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"Splendid! A page-turner." Joe Galloway, NYT Best Selling Author..

“Atcho is at his best…when taking names and kicking ass. Highly enjoyable…” ~ Kirkus Reviews

"Curse the Moon has it all, packaging its tense thriller in the cloak of understanding motivations both political and personal. It's all about danger, sacrifice, and how even would-be romance bows to the pressure of a covert operator's obligations." D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

THE STORY BEHIND THIS BOOK

“There is much in “Curse The Moon” that is based on real events, and two of the primary characters, Atcho and his daughter, Isabel, were actually based on my father-in-law and my wife. In fact, the code-name “Atcho” is my father-in-law’s real nickname. He fought in the counterrevolution against Castro, was imprisoned after the Bay of Pigs, and spent 17 years in some of Castro’s worst prisons. In the book, he is a composite character. Some of the fictional Atcho’s expoits were the real Atcho’s, and some were accomplished by others in the resistance. The real aspects in the book are the abject cruelty that the Castro regime imposed, and the intrepidity and courage that Cuban patriots exhibited in resisting him.

The other very real aspect was the relationship between both the real and fictional Atchos and their fictional and real respective daughters. Both grew up with their fathers having been stripped from their homes and country, and witnessed much of the savagery as little girls. That stayed with my wife such that, although on a cognitive basis she understood and was even proud of the courage of her father, on a deeper level, she suffered from his absence and felt a sense of having been abandoned – other men escaped Cuba with their families intact.

My initial motivation for writing the book was as a tribute to the real Atcho and my wife. In researching it, I found a story with all the elements of a thriller, and one that should be told: a near holocaust took place 90 miles south of Florida, and most Americans know nothing about it. Further, because of its strategic location just off the US coast, Cuba occupied an outsized place in the Cold War competition between the US and the Soviet Union. This story takes the Cuban revolution as its launching point, and then delves into the strained and often subtle relations between the two superpowers in the waining days of the Cold War. It questions the actions of John Kennedy, brings alive the charm, sternness, and personality of Ronald Reagan, and views Mikhail Gorbachev with curiosity.” ~ Lee Jackson

About the author

Lee Jackson is a bestselling, award-winning thriller author. He was an Infantry officer with a front row seat on world affairs and spent 38 months in Iraq and Afghanistan. His first book, Curse The Moon, was published in 5 countries and follows Atcho, a counter-revolutionary leader in Cuba turned unwilling spy in the U.S. The odds he faces seem overwhelming as he must choose between saving the world from a nuclear holocaust - or his daughter. In Lee’s second book, Rasputin's Legacy, Atcho faces a surreal challenge: he must save the country that enslaved his own or deliver control of the Soviet nuclear apparatus into the hands of a maniac. Can he set aside his personal desire for revenge? Lee lives with his wife in Texas and is a full-time writer.

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