Book Review

Just One Wish
By Janette Rallison

Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows about the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it’s all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery.

But Annika’s plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly finds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?

Janette Rallison’s proven talent for laugh-out-loud humor, teen romance, and deep-hearted storytelling shines in a novel that will have readers laughing and crying at the same time.

Review:

By: Christine Bryant

Just One Wish is a touching story about real life issues told in a light-hearted tale of sibling love and sacrifice. Throw in a little mischief and romance and Rallison has a winner on her hands. I was completely in love with the characters and thought they were not only realistic, but found myself upon completion of the book, wondering about their lives as if they were real people in a real world.

Just One Wish was a delightful read. I read it in just a few hours in one sitting, mostly because I couldn't put the darn thing down. This was the first book I've read by this author because I don't usually read young adult, but after this experience you will be sure to find me in the YA section of the bookstore with a few of Rallison's books tucked in the crook of my arm.

For more information about Just One Wish or about Janette Rallison, click here.

To buy this book, click here.

Spring Fever

Sunset From My House

I am so grateful for the warmer weather the past few days. Whew! I was getting spring fever so bad. Its been a long hard winter for us with some financial difficulties and illnesses and accidents and floods and and and....UGH! Now summer is on its way and I'm hoping to do tons of fun stuff with my family and maybe even get the house painted, although I must admit I'm a better supervisor with things like that. My husband is the pro when it comes to painting and taking care of the yard. I often tease him that he doesn't "mow" the lawn, he "manicures" it. I have to admit I'd rather have it that way than have him not care.

So, as the temperatures heats up, I may be dusting off the laptop and escaping to the outdoors to do my writing. Thank goodness for wireless, I can go anywhere on our property and still be connected. I'm sure the fresh air will do my muse some good as well.

A Book Review

The Forgotten Warrior
Written by: Kathi Oram Peterson

Review by: Christine Bryant

After reading the first few chapters of The Forgotten Warrior, I found several little things that drew me away from the story. The constant comparisons to things like Krispy Kreme Donuts, Disney cartoons and Scrooge, actually pulled me out of what I thought was a good story and sent me trying to visualize those things in my mind to find the comparison. I felt it was distracting. However, after finding Syd in the Book of Mormon times and watching her character change, I realized that those analogies were necessary to show the reader how she’d gone from a typical young girl, still someone child like, to a mature woman. The child like references were replaced with real life dangers and challenges that helped Syd grow into a warrior woman, pretending to be a boy. How creative is that?

I was completely captivated by the strong characters and heavily researched detail from the Book of Mormon. I found myself standing beside Syd, like her trusted pet, Ximon, watching the entire story unfold. The author’s attention to describing the details was a refreshing change from some of the books I’ve read that seem to strip that element from their pages, leaving the readers to fend for themselves.

I also have to admit that, before finishing this book, I read several reviewers’ comments that gave a negative statement about the ending. This did little to encourage me to finish the book, but because of the compelling story and my commitment to give an honest review, I read on. Surprising to say, I have to be the odd man out, or woman I guess I should say. I actually liked the ending. True, it could have satisfied my curiosity a little more by telling me what had happened to everyone in the story, but isn’t that why this book offers a sequel? I think everyone expected this book to stand on its own, like that in a series where each book, although sharing familiar characters, tells its own individual story with a beginning, middle and end. This is not meant to be like that. It is a continuing saga and I can’t wait to read the next one.

It is my opinion that Kathi Oram Peterson is a phenomenal writer and I can’t wait to see her writing career blossom. She can count me as one of her biggest fans.

For more information about The Forgotten Warrior visit Kathi's website at: http://www.kathiswritingnook.com/

To Purchase this book click here.

What's Next??

Well, I finally got my first chapter ready for the LDStorymaker's Chapter contest and sent it off. I also finished The Forgotten Warrior, by Kathi Oram Peterson. You can check back on Saturday the 14th to read my review. Just a hint....I loved it.

Anyway, so that was my goal for the week, to get those two things done and here it is Monday and I have the whole week ahead of me. So, what's next?????

The first thing I'm going to do is BREATHE. I've been putting way too many deadlines on my plate and now that most of them are accomplished, I'm going to rest.

Next, I will be digging into the rest of my book. Now that I've worked hard to polish the first chapter, I find I need to do the same to the rest of it. It will be a daunting task, but well worth it in the end.

And Finally....SEND IT IN!!! I have a list of agents that will soon have the privilege of reading my manuscript. Hopefully, they will love it and ask for more.

In the meantime, I have more books to read and another story on the horizon to outline. Its always something, isn't it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I thought this was really cute and had to share it.