{Review} This is Tomorrow @Leavittnovelist

In 1956, when divorced, working-mom Ava Lark rents a house with her twelve-year-old son, Lewis, in a Boston suburb, the neighborhood is less than welcoming. Lewis yearns for his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. The neighborhood in the era of the Cold War, bomb scares, and paranoia seizes the opportunity to further ostracize Ava and her son. Lewis never recovers from the disappearance of his childhood friend. By the time he reaches his twenties, he's living a directionless life, a failure in love, estranged from his mother. Rose is now a schoolteacher in another city, watching over children as she was never able to watch over her own brother. Ava is building a new life for herself in a new decade. When the mystery of Jimmy's disappearance is unexpectedly solved, all three must try to reclaim what they have lost.

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About the Author

Caroline Leavitt is the New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You (Algonquin Books), which was on the Best Books of 2011 Lists from the San Francisco Chronicle, The Providence Journal, Bookmarks and Kirkus Reviews. It was also a Costco Pennie's Pick. Her 10th novel IS IT TOMORROW will be published by Algonquin in May 2013.

The winner of a New York Foundation of the Arts Grant, a second prize winner in Goldenberg Fiction Prize, A Sundance Screenwriting Lab Finalist, a Nickelodeon Screenwriting Fellowship Finalist and a National Magazine Award Nominee, Leavitt is a senior writing instructor at UCLA and Stanford online and a freelance manuscript consultant. Her work has appeared in New York Magazine, Psychology Today, Salon,More, and more.
She has been featured on The Today Show and profiled in the New York Times."

You can reach her through www.carolineleavitt.com.

This was a very well written book!  I felt the helplessness and loneliness of Ava right away and she really became my fav character! I loved that the ending was more open as I have always said that the future is what you  make of it. I really enjoyed this book as it was inspiring and a real page turner. I really felt like I had been transported back in time!  I couldnt imagine myself living in that time frame.  When divorce was a no no!  With spies, and the cold war. 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

{Reivew + Giveaway} Ragged Hope | Visa Cash Card Giveaway and 8/1 Author Chat Party! @cynthiaruchti

Cynthia Ruchti  is celebrating the release of Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices (Abingdon Press) with a $200 Visa Cash Card "Hope" Giveaway and Facebook Party!

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card
• Ragged Hope by Cynthia Ruchti

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced at the "Ragged Hope Author Chat Part on August 1st. Connect with Cynthia for an evening of encouragement, laughter, and more! Cynthia will also share an exclusive look at her next project and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Ragged Hope and join Cynthia on the evening of August 1st for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Hope to see you on the 1st!

{MORE ABOUT RAGGED HOPE}

“What a beautiful book !  So readable, the pages practically turned themselves.  Ragged Hope is filled with stories; written for those who are weary, worn and wounded.  It offers each of us exactly that—hope that God can do a mighty work even with those of us who carry the ugliest of scars.” — Debbie Macomber, #1 NYT bestselling author

Where do we find hope when it’s clouded by the ashes of other people’s choices?

What do you do when your life is affected by someone else’s choices? Where is God when you are doing everything right yet, because of someone else, everything is wrong? This insightful and hope-giving guide will comfort, support, and encourage you through whatever situation you must face.

Cynthia Ruchti, who has walked this road herself and has spoken to hundreds of people through her radio show, assures readers that God is ever present and offers unwavering love. There is hope, grace, and a future in every situation—even (and especially) those we did not cause but now live. Vetted by professional counselors and caregivers, this is the one guide you need to thrive no matter what you are facing.“What a beautiful book !  So readable, the pages practically turned themselves.  Ragged Hope is filled with stories; written for those who are weary, worn and wounded.  It offers each of us exactly that—hope that God can do a mighty work even with those of us who carry the ugliest of scars.” — Debbie Macomber, #1 NYT bestselling author

Where do we find hope when it’s clouded by the ashes of other people’s choices?

What do you do when your life is affected by someone else’s choices? Where is God when you are doing everything right yet, because of someone else, everything is wrong? This insightful and hope-giving guide will comfort, support, and encourage you through whatever situation you must face.

Cynthia Ruchti, who has walked this road herself and has spoken to hundreds of people through her radio show, assures readers that God is ever present and offers unwavering love. There is hope, grace, and a future in every situation—even (and especially) those we did not cause but now live. Vetted by professional counselors and caregivers, this is the one guide you need to thrive no matter what you are facing.

Purchase a copy here.CYNTHIA RUCHTI

{MORE ABOUT CYNTHIA RUCHTI}

Cynthia Ruchti has more than three decades of radio broadcast experience with “Heartbeat of the Home” radio and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers. Find Cynthia on the Web at www.cynthiaruchti.com.

Find out more about Cynthia at http://www.cynthiaruchti.com.

Ragged Hope is not a devotional but more of an encouraging resource for those who have been through tough times at the hands of someone else.  I think this one would be great for a women's support group!  It is a really easy book to relate to and the characters were wonderful.  It really is one thing to deal with the consequences of your own actions.  But, when its someone elses choices that you are living with it can really take its toll.  You should always have someone to turn to when things go wrong. Be it family, friends, or your faith.

 "*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own." Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

{Review} The Dogma of Cats for Kids @IntuitiveParent

 Join an adorable collection of cuddly cats for their warm wisdom on how we can live a happy, heart-centered life. With colorful illustrations, mindful lessons and sweet, rhyming text, award winning author Deb Snyder delivers a book that will have cat lovers of all ages purring for more!

› Visit Amazon's Debra Snyder Page

Biography

Deb Snyder, PhD is an inspirational speaker, spiritual teacher and the award-winning author of books for both adults and children. Deb holds a doctorate in metaphysical philosophy and teaches heart-centered living workshops worldwide. Deb's work inspires others to be authentic, live fully and shine bright! She lives in Maine with her husband, Mark, daughter, Raegan and their four cats: Lance, Luna, Lacy, and of course, Cagney.

Deb has received both a Gold Mom's Choice Award and Silver Nautilus Award for her title: Intuitive Parenting: Listening to the Wisdom of Your Heart and A Silver Mom's Choice Award for her children's title, The Dogma of Cats for Kids.

The first thing you need to know is that my two year old little girl (Anarece) LOVES CATS!  I guess her being born during the year of the Tiger really did make her obsessed with them lol.  So when this book came I think I had an entire 2 seconds to look at it before it was ripped out of my hands and taken away to her little nook!  So once I finally got the book back!  (ie. waiting until she goes to sleep and pray that she didnt fall asleep with the book.  YES that has happened!) I found a wonderful little life lesson book via cat-sourced wisdom!  We are now on the hunt to find other books from this author!

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

{Review} Where in the OM Am I? @saradivello

Sara has invested years dutifully climbing the corporate ladder to become head of PR at a major financial services company, but can’t shake the feeling she’s not where she belongs. When her latest boss, a wine-guzzling, drama-loving diva, finally drives her to the brink, Sara seeks sanctuary in yoga-teacher training…only to encounter an entirely different assortment of craziness and calamity. Where in the OM Am I? is an irreverent, honest, and hilarious memoir chronicling one woman’s journey from the fast-paced, cutthroat corporate world, to the slow-paced, surprisingly catty, and sometimes perilous world of yoga. Along the way, Sara confronts the harsh reality of working in a male-dominated industry, the challenges of being a corporate interloper in the yoga community, and the complexity of interactions between women in both realms. As epic mishaps beget personal revelations, Sara digs deep for the courage to forge a new life for herself.


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› Visit Amazon's Sara DiVello Page

Biography

Corporate Life

Sara began working in the communications, PR, and marketing field in 1996, and entered the financial services industry in 2000. She worked for small companies and huge companies and companies somewhere in-between before she realized that she preferred yoga mats and bare feet to cubicles and high heels.

Yoga Life

Sara has been practicing yoga since January 2000. She originally began in the Ashtanga tradition before finding a deeper resonance in slower-flow styles. Having experienced the transformative effects of yoga in her own life, she is now dedicated to deepening and expanding the practices of her students. Sara is certified with the Yoga Alliance and teaches both Vinyasa and Restorative yoga.

Author Life

A life-long writer, Sara has been scribbling poems, stories, diaries, and notes on bar napkins for as long as she can remember. Of course, the notes on bar napkins only started after she was 21.

Sara holds a B.A. in communications with a print concentration and a minor in European history. She is also passionate about gardening, travel, and great food.

Learn more or visit her online at: saradivello.com

This has got to be one of the best memoirs I have read in a long time!  In search for greener pastures DiVello writes a wonderful story about her life in her late 20's.  Sara finds herself shuffling from one company to another.  She decides to take up yoga to kind peace, tranquility and a way to get rid of anxiety from her boss and job.  She finds that she loves yoga and decides to sign up for a class.  This is a story that all working women should be able to relate to.  I know I did!  This book is so funny that you will laugh your way through most of it!  

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

"Thanks to the publisher or author for sending me this copy!"

Moms United For Books!

United Books is a not for profit group of moms who want to get more books into our schools and libraries.  So you as an author or publisher or even the general public have the opportunity to donate books in good to new condition that will be donated to the local library or school from the list below.

Each mom is listed by state and then by county (if two people are listed for that state)  Please click on the name of the mom you wish to donate to and email then directly.

All books will need to be noted for where they need to go via school or library

 If you would like to be added to this list or would like to donate books please Click Here!

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Kentucky 

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{Review + Giveaway} Enter to win an iPad Mini from @KristaMcGeeYA

 Thalli has fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds left to live. The toxic gas that will complete her annihilation is invading her bloodstream. But she is not afraid.

Thalli is different than others in The State. She feels things. She asks questions. And in the State, this is not tolerated. The Ten scientists who survived the nuclear war that destroyed the world above believe that emotion was at the core of what went wrong—and they have genetically removed it from the citizens they have since created. Thalli has kept her malformation secret from those who have monitored her for most of her life, but when she receives an ancient piece of music to record as her community’s assigned musician, she can no longer keep her emotions secreted away.

Seen as a threat to the harmony of her Pod, Thalli is taken to the Scientists for immediate annihilation. But before that can happen, Berk—her former Pod mate who is being groomed as a Scientist—steps in and persuades the Scientists to keep Thalli alive as a test subject.

The more time she spends in the Scientist’s Pod, the clearer it becomes that things are not as simple as she was programmed to believe. She hears stories of a Designer—stories that fill her mind with more questions: Who can she trust? What is this emotion called love? And what if she isn’t just an anomaly, but part of a greater design?

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About the Author

When Krista McGee isn't living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she lives in Tampa and spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher, and coffee snob. She is also the author of Anomaly, First Date, Starring Me, and Right Where I Belong.

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In a world rules by silence and no religion of ANY KIND. People live in pods that are underground. This is where we start our story. I really loved this book!  And I think that is saying something since I've been pagan for over 20 years. I never knew that a mix of Teen, Dystopian, and Christian all together could work so well! So if you think you won't like it because its Christian. You are so wrong and should give it a try!  

Thalli is a girl whom is an anomaly. She has already seen one of her friends taken away never to be seen again. So when it happens to her she decides to fight back. But, of course she is over powered and taken for annihilation. But there she meets Berk. The boy whom saves her life by postponing her death. And in the underbelly of the pods she finds something else that will forever change her. 

The one thing I do understand is the scientist eradicating all religion in the pods. I understand their thought process thinking if they get rid of it that they will all be better off. But I also believe that they are wrong. Yes, many wars have been fought and even more have died/been murdered in the name of a god. But, faith/religion also gives you hope for a better future. It brings you something to believe in when there is nothing but darkness. For in darkness there is light! And that light is called Hope!

Ps: I hope that I am lucky enough to get a copy of book two! 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Follow The Tour 

Krista McGee is celebrating the release of Anomaly, the first book in her new YA dystopian series, with an iPad Mini Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card (download Anomaly to the iPad!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced at Krista's website on August 2nd.

Spread the word about Krista and her giveaway HERE!