Sunday, December 18, 2011

12 Days of Christmas: Book Gift Ideas from Ellen ~ DAY 7

BRRRRRR!!! Is it cold in your town? In North Pole, Alaska, it's snowing today and Christmas year 'round. Today's book recommendation is a deeee-lightful Christian Romance from Loree Lough. Let me tell you about it; I absolutely LOVE THIS BOOK!

Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska by Loree Lough
A former Marine is no match for the spunky Sam Sinclair. Bryce Stone has returned to his hometown of North Pole, Alaska and he’s not very happy about it. “The Town Where It’s Christmas All Year Long” does not appeal to the self-admitted scrooge. What’s worse, Bryce must postpone his dream of opening a furniture shop when his Aunt Olive retires and leaves him to manage the family’s cluttered Christmas boutique. Bryce hires a petite and inexperienced young woman to run the store, figuring that if she fails, he can sell the place! But Bryce underestimates Sam, who grew up with seven rowdy brothers and is out to prove her mettle in the frozen north. It’s a battle of wills and the two soon find that they’re fighting for more than just the shop. After all, love takes as many forms as the snowflakes that blanket the streets of North Pole.

I give this 5-million-stars and I know it will warm your heart this year. A great gift for the female reader you love. Buy from Amazon at this link (or world-wide elsewhere, too): Love Finds You in North Pole, Alaska

Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah!
Ellen

PS: The Gingerbread Man is looking pretty used up. Let's see how he looks with 7 bites missing:
I can't wait to get to those M&Ms!!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

12 Days of Christmas: Book Gift Ideas from Ellen ~ DAY 6

LOVE LETTERS TO MY QUEEN BRIDE by Beth C. Walker
Oh, Sisters! Today I bring you the most wonderful book for Christian women that I have ever read -- SERIOUSLY! This book by Beth C. Walker is composed of short letters from the Holy Spirit directly to you, the reader, God's female children. I keep this book next to my bed and read one each night. It is not really written as a daily devotional, but can easily be used to encourage and edify you any moment of the day that you feel down or discouraged. Women's lives are especially complicated these days, and Beth's anointed writing allows us to recall what we already know in our spirits: God loves us more than we can ever imagine, God is available to us 24/7/365, and God wants us to hear Him and know His love.

Love Letters to my Queen Bride is available on Kindle and paperback, and will soon be released by Westbow, a Thomas Nelson company (Yes! The Bible makers!). Also, this book is in the review stage--if any of you think you might like to review it for Beth on Amazon, email me at ellenmaze@aol.com for an ARC (a free digital or print copy set aside for this purpose).

God bless you and have an excellent weekend!
Ellen
OH... let's see the Gingerbread Man before we go... what does he look like with 6 bites missing? OUCH!

Friday, December 16, 2011

12 Days of Christmas: Book Gift Ideas from Ellen ~ DAY 5

OUCH!
Day 5 has the Gingerbread Man missing part of his middle. Yikes! I reckon I better go ahead and tell you the next book I want to recommend.



The Curse of Yama by K F Ridley has already garnered 17 excellent reviews since publication, and I think it will be a huge hit. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the new adventures of C.Walker and pals. In the opening installment, "The Curse of Yama,"Chloe Walker and her Indian pal, Sotol, traipse through danger and peril to rescue her father from a mysterious illness. Whimsical, funny, and full of thrills, any child who enjoys adventure will love this book!
As an added bonus, the middle-grade novel also is peppered with fun illustrations (penned by "moi")...
If you need a book series for your child 8 to 13, this one fills the order. Go to K F Ridlety's website to see TV interviews and TV spots for the book. Very well-received! www.kfridley.com

Ya'll have a marvelous day!
Ellen C. Maze, Author of Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales, 5-star Fiction
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Hugs :)

Thursday, December 15, 2011

12 Days of Christmas: Book Gift Ideas from Ellen ~ DAY 4

Well, Readers and Friends, it is Day Four of the countdown to Christmas, and my Gingerbread Man is missing both arms and one foot. I reckon he'll be just a head by the time we reach the Big Day! Which brings us to our purpose for this special blog: recommending a book a day that I loved and perhaps you will, too!




On the Soul of a Vampire by Krisi Keley intrigued me beyond words. To call this a Christian Vampire Tale sells it short in so many ways--it is much, much more. It is gothic, horrifying, delightful, and un-put-downable. Sometimes deep, but always peppered with soulful romance, this novel is worth a million stars.

Recommended if you like to read vampire novels and are open-minded regarding the use of the known vampire mythology. Purchase in Kindle or Paperback on Amazon.com. LINK

Or visit the author's website at www.onthesoulofavampire.com

Merry Christmas!!
Love, Ellen

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

12 Days of Christmas: Book Gift Ideas from Ellen~ DAY 3

Welcome to Day Three of Book recommendations. I love to hear what you guys are reading, so some of you may be interested to hear about some books I enjoyed this year.

Today, we are doing a memoir. NYC Entertainer Jerry Castaldo has written a breathtaking, no-holds-barred memoir of his life growing up in crime and mob-run Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Check out his reviews -- 243 5-star reviews and counting -- everyone is blown away by this book!

IN A HURRY? Most folks read this in one night. It's not filled with dead fluff, but packed with interesting and sometimes very grim stories. "Stab Me Harder, Jerry" and "They Came to Rape and Scarred My Face" are just two of the stories you'll find inside. Available on Kindle and paperback and Nook. My fav chapter is about the Mob, the Bookie and the Leisure Suits... this book will stick with you.


Brooklyn NY: A Grim Retrospective by Jerry Castaldo (purchase at this link on Amazon.com)

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

12 Days of Christmas: Book Gift Ideas from Ellen~ DAY 2

Hello and welcome to December 13th!

With 47 5-star reviews so far on Amazon, today's book recommendation is for an amazingly creative and unique sci-fi novel entitled "A Star Curiously Singing." I honestly can't imagine anyone not enjoying this book... here is my review that says it all.



A STAR CURIOUSLY SINGING, by Kerry Nietz
In a futuristic world where sharia law is in place and mankind relies on technology to perform the simplest task, DR63 “SandFly” is about to find his life turned upside down. A “Chosen One,” SandFly was chosen as a youth to be implanted with a device that would allow him to speak to all of the machines that run the planet. Even though this would seem to give him incredible, unstoppable power, it does not because those in charge who chose him hold a controller that zaps him if disobeys. SandFly is a tool who belongs to a master, no more, no less. So how can he change the world? And what’s wrong with the world anyway?

I’ll leave that up to you to find out. Let me just tell you how fun this book was to read.

As an author myself, I read lots and lots of books. Some I enjoy, some not so much. This book, A STAR CURIOUSLY SINGING, is one that I hated to put down and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Because of my work load, I was only able to pick it up an hour at a time, but every time I set it down to go back to work, I thought about it all day. I sympathized and fell in love with the lead character immediately and worried for him as I longed to get back to the book. I can easily say that this is one of the best books I have ever read, and this is my very first sci-fi novel.

A review would not be complete without mentioning the technical aspects of Nietz’s method and style of writing. SandFly speaks in first person, and he speaks often to me, the reader. He calls me a “freehead” (I have no implant, you see!) and through his point of view, I know him very intimately—and I like him! He is such a well-rounded, three-dimensional character that I felt often that that if I released just a little bit, I could imagine he is real and this book is true. I am looking forward to reading the sequel to this story THE SUPERLATIVE STREAM.

Bravo Mr. Nietz!!

Ellen C Maze
Author of Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales

Monday, December 12, 2011

12 Days of Christmas: Book Gift Ideas from Ellen! DAY 1


 Clean and shiny, Day One will be bringing you a delightfully funny, uplifting and downright un-put-downable novel entitled, "The Garden Key." This is my very favorite book of 2010, and I just can't seem to hush up about it! Below is my review posted when I finished the read.


The Garden Key, by Angela Dolbear, is a book that could literally change the world. I can say with all honesty that if every man and woman on the planet read this book and let its words sink deep into their souls; when they opened their eyes the following day, they would be transformed. Changed into people who love. Really love. And in a real sense, The Garden Key is about real love.

Promos for The Garden Key entice the reader with comical, tongue-in-cheek, real-life phrases, dialogue and emotions. Honestly, I was convinced by one line from the web site which said something about "lust and cheeseburgers," but rest assured, the promises on the back cover can be trusted absolutely. As I read this book, I did indeed laugh often, and I cried with joy aplenty. I wept most when I reached the last page—do you know why? Because the novel ended.

Selfishly, I wanted it to go on and on and never conclude. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed this book so much (it was literally un-put-down-able), that when I got to the last 30 pages, I forced myself to stop reading. I would not pick it up for fear of finishing it. For over a week, I peeked at it next to my desk, carried it to my room to peek at it as I went to sleep—but I would not read on. I was terrified to see the last page. I was horrified that this wonderful, sweet, delightful, insightful and encouraging book was about to be finished. I have never read a book like this and I thank God that he led me to read it now. I have no doubt in my mind that I will read it over again many times.

And thankfully, the author hinted that she would write another. Praise the Lord.

Ellen C Maze, author Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider


 Purchase the Garden Key:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Garden-Key-ebook/dp/B004OC0456/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1322415454&sr=1-1