‘Beyond All Dreams’ Kindle Fire Giveaway

Travel back in time to the U.S. Capitol and the Library of Congress in Elizabeth Camden's newest release, Beyond All Dreams. From the gilded halls of the Capitol where powerful men shape the future of the nation, to the scholarly archives of the nation's finest library, Anna and Luke are soon embroiled in secrets much bigger and more perilous than they ever imagined. Is bringing the truth to light worth risking all they've ever dreamed for their futures?

Elizabeth is celebrating the release of Beyond All Dreams with a Kindle giveaway and Facebook party on February 17.

 
One grand prize winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• One copy of Beyond All Dreams

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 2/17. Winner will be announced at Elizabeth's 2/17 Beyond All Dreams Facebook author chat party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Elizabeth and historical fiction fans, as well as for the opportunity to win some great prizes!

{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.}

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

Hidden Agenda by Lisa Harris

Michael Hunt's time is up. After working undercover, attempting to bring down a drug cartel, his cover is blown. With less than twelve hours to live, he is rescued by Olivia Hamilton, the beautiful daughter of the man who wants him dead. As they run for their lives, no one and no place is safe. Michael and Olivia are forced to trust and depend on each other, but soon find attraction bringing them closer. Their only chance for survival is bringing down the cartel by finding it's leader and the dirty agents that aid the cartel. Will they find the proof they need in time? Can Olivia hand her family over to the authorities? Read more in Hidden Agenda by Lisa Harris.

Hidden Agenda is the third novel in the Southern Crimes series by Lisa Harris. It was the first book I've read by Lisa Harris and worked fine as a stand-alone novel. The opening scene was riveting and the suspense kept me interested from that point on. The plot was well-written and there were twists that kept me wondering about identities and how situations would work out. I could relate to the theme about finding freedom by learning the truth. Reminded me that true freedom and healing can only come when secrets are exposed and dealt with.

In conclusion, I enjoyed reading Hidden Agenda by Lisa Harris. It's a keeper and I recommend it to fans of contemporary suspense novels.

Read an excerpt from Hidden Agenda by Lisa Harris on the publisher's website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The 5 Love Languages of Children

In The 5 Love Languages of Children, Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell apply Chapman's popular concept of the five love languages to the parent-child relationship. Each of the five love languages is explained and examples are given of how to use (and how not to use) a child's love language. Parents are encouraged to love their children unconditionally, which is sometimes not as easy as one would assume it to be, and to successfully express that love to a child.

I found The 5 Love Languages of Children to be insightful and challenging. The explanations of each language were informative, but the real life examples were what I found to be most helpful. There is a full chapter as well as a love language “game” at the end dedicated to help parents correctly identify how a child gives and receives love. At times, the book was a bit overwhelming to me as it felt like I have to do everything perfectly or I'm going to really mess my child up. I know that was not the authors' intention and maybe not everyone will get that feeling, but that's how it was for me.

The 5 Love Languages of Children is geared for children above age five. My child is only two which is a bit young for her love language to be obvious. The authors say five is usually the minimum age before a child's love language can be determined as it's prone to fluctuate in the early years. Therefore, a lot of the information was good, but not completely relevant to me. The main points I was able to take away from the book were: unconditional love is the desire of a child's heart, whether or not a child's love needs are fulfilled will affect them positively or negatively, and it's important to practice all five love languages at this point. I plan to keep The 5 Love Languages of Children and will probably revisit it in a few years.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Esther: Royal Beauty by Angela Hunt

The Biblical tale of Esther recounts the life of a Jewish maiden as she rises from obscurity to queen of Persia. Taken from her home by the edict for beautiful women to be gathered for the king to choose his new queen from, Esther finds favor with those around her while retaining the secret of her heritage. After Esther is crowned queen, a law is issued to exterminate all Jews. To save her people, Esther must risk her life by violating Persian law in order to convince the king to save her people.

I almost passed over Esther: Royal Beauty by Angela Hunt. Some time ago, I'd read another version of Esther's story and disliked the romanticism and idealism. However, the stunning cover stands as an example of how a cover can positively affect a book's appeal and convinced me to try it.

Ultimately, I was glad that I choose to read Esther, the first in Angela Hunt's Dangerous Beauty series. I didn't get too much idealism and the plot was well-written. I liked the perspective changes between Esther (Hadassah) and the king's attendant as it added depth and, at times, suspense to the story line. The plot captured my interest early on and didn't drag – I finished the book in two days.

The ending seemed a bit rushed. The author spent substantial time throughout the book adding in fictional, but appropriate, details that made for a good work of fiction. However, the finale recounted the Biblical ending without much fictional addition. This isn't necessarily bad, but it just felt different from the rest of the book. I still will reread the book in the future and recommend it to people who enjoy Biblical retellings.

An excerpt from Esther by Angela Hunt is available at the publisher's site.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."