Rachelle J. Christensen

Romance, Suspense, Mystery Author

New Book Release: Coming Home to Love by Rachelle J. Christensen

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I’m so excited to introduce the release of Coming Home to Love, which is the 4th book in the Echo Ridge Romance series. You can buy the book on Amazon for only $0.99 from May 2nd-6th, or get it for FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

Here’s more about the book:

A second chance at love…

When Laney Richins left Echo Ridge, New York eight years ago, she vowed she’d never return, but life had other plans. Those plans included her cute little boy and a divorce, so Laney moved back home and started over. Working in the flower shop seems like the perfect plan until Billy Redford, the man she should have married shows up. Billy Redford’s heart was broken when his high school sweetheart turned her back on him and fled Echo Ridge for the big city lights. Running into Laney in Echo Ridge now brings up past feelings he thought were long gone. She’s prettier than ever, still seems to read his mind, and despite his protests ends up on the building and decorating committee with him for the Homecoming dance. Billy knows how to build just about anything, but he isn’t sure he knows how to mend a broken heart.

LDS Storymakers Event and Award Nomination

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As I mentioned previously, my book, Carve Me a Melody, has been nominated for a 2018 Whitney Award in the General Category! The Whitney Awards are part of a fun LDS Storymakers Conference, which will be held next week on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I’ll be teaching a class at the conference and will be participating in a huge book signing. The signing will be on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at the Utah Valley Convention Center. Please come and meet me and get your books signed.

You can learn more here:

You can see the other finalists in each category here:

Award Nominations for Carve Me a Melody

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My book, Carve Me a Melody, is a finalist in The Rone Awards for inspirational romance! Voting for this category is only opened from April 16th-April 22nd. The public can vote on it during this window. You can go here and vote for my book, but you must be logged in to vote. It’s free to create an account and once you subscribe, you need to be sure to verify your account before your vote will count. I would love my book to move to the next round.

Carve Me a Melody is also a finalist in the General Fiction category for the upcoming Whitney Awards, which will be held on May 5th! You can see a list of the finalists here:

This is such an exciting time for my book and I really appreciate the support of all of my readers and fans.

Book Review: Keep It Real and Grab a Plunger by Julie K. Nelson

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

As a mother of five kids, this book, Keep it Real and Grab a Plunger, definitely looked enticing and I’m so glad that I got the chance to read it.

I liked the format of this book because it was easy to read in chunks here and there in between diaper changes, feedings, piano lessons, homework, etc., etc. Each chapter was short but chock full of great information, anecdotes, and scenarios that help teach the principles that Julie has collected. These 25 Tips are definitely on the top of my list of areas where I could use some extra help. I found myself marking and highlighting several tips and passages as I went along.

One of my children is four, but it still feels like we are in the terrible twos. He’s extremely difficult and headstrong, goes 100 miles an hour all day long and has complete freak-outs about the littlest things. My husband and I have pulled our hair out trying to figure out how to work with this child. Many days I have been in tears over the latest trouble he has gotten into and how to keep my cool and still show love to him. There just aren’t words, so in short, I’ll tell you that this book is so refreshing because I can tell that Julie really does understand the dynamics of parenting. She shares these tips in a way that doesn’t make me feel guilty because I haven’t always got it right, instead I feel hopeful and excited to try out the ideas. I’m already implementing them and in some cases, just a different way of looking at the situation has helped me immensely.

Here’s one thought that helped remind me of where we’re at with this kid:

“Prekindergarten children have difficulty understanding and putting labels on feelings and, therefore, can feel out of control. They don’t know what they are feeling or how to deal with problems. Parents increase a child’s self-awareness by allowing the child to express emotion in a safe situation, labeling the emotion, and letting the child know that you will be ready to talk when he or she calms down. I like to say, “When your voice is calm like mine, we can talk.”

This would be an excellent Mother’s Day gift, or for any day kind of gift as a parenting pick-me-up. The other day I was on the phone changing my baby’s messy diaper with a kid in the background yelling, “Mom, come wipe me!” If you’ve ever been in a similar situation, this book is for you. 🙂

Here’s more about the book:

As a popular blogger, a college professor, and a frequent parenting guest expert on TV, you might suspect Julie K. Nelson is immune to the realities of actual parenting. But in fact, she’s been there—through all the late nights, huge messes, and tough moments.

Now she combines her expertise with her experience as a mom of five in this entertaining and pragmatic book. Learn how to overcome your natural manipulative, authoritarian tendencies and foster your child’s self-discipline, respect, and emotional maturity.

Humorous, insightful, and authentic, this book will get you through the sticky stuff with grace so you can enjoy those parenting moments that make it all worth it.

And check out this great book trailer!

Other books you may enjoy:

   

Visit Rachelle’s Book Review Page to see all reviews HERE.

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Book Review: Powerful Perennials by Nedra Secrist

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle

I love gardening and I think that mostly comes from my fabulous mother who has always kept a beautiful garden and yard. My mother was always full of cool shed ideas to store my tools, keeping the garden alive! My flowerbeds are always in need of weeding but perennial flowers are my favorite because they are the first to welcome spring and add some life to the drab winter scene.

Powerful Perennials is a new book by Nedra Secrist that is jam-packed full of excellent information on this great facet of gardening but the best part is that it’s specifically written with western gardeners in mind. Those of us who have to deal with cold climates, dry climates, hungry wildlife, and poor soils!

This book details dozens of different perennials with information that helps you to decide what is best for each area of your yard and garden. I like how Nedra Secrist notes which plants are poisonous or have other properties of use. She even shows pictures of how to make little Hollyhock dolls!

This book is a definite keeper as a flowerbed resource and I’m excited to continue learning and looking up information on perennials for my dream flower garden.

Here’s more about the book:

Create your own personal paradise with a garden full of easy-to-care-for, long-lasting perennial blooms! This comprehensive guide to growing your dream garden will teach you how to pick the best perennial plants for your soil, sunlight, and climate conditions. Keep your garden blooming with Powerful Perennials so you can enjoy your yard for years to come.

Master gardener Nedra Secrist has been growing perennials for over fifty years. She and her husband, Donrey, own and operate Secrist Gardens, a nursery specializing in perennial flowers like the moonflower. Nedra lectures regularly to horticultural and community groups about how to garden successfully, even in soil and climate conditions are not ideal. She’s condensed fifty years of green gardening methods and hands-on training into this beautiful book.

Perennial gardeners, particularly those in Western regions, have unique challenges related to dry rocky soils, intense sunlight, high elevations, and lack of water. This book discusses why gardening is different in these climates and tackles every aspect of growing perennial flowers successfully, despite an inhospitable climate, short growing season, or problems with wildlife.

The book’s methods and insights are applicable to any perennial gardener. The book is broken into four sections, focusing on common gardening issues: How to garden if you live in a cold climate, how to address drought issues, how to deal with wildlife in the garden, and how to overcome the issue of poor soils. This common issues aren’t just faced by your local gardeners however, but they also impact the workers in our farming industry. Although, they do have the suitable equipment and machinery like that found on fastline to help them combat these harsh conditions, and minor issues. But to help these troubled gardeners, each section includes information about dozens of perennial species that thrive even when gardening conditions aren’t optimal.

Additional information comes from Nedra’s vast experience with the details of gardening, and you’ll find tutorials on everything from organic gardening and proper fertilization to how to properly stake flowers and design your landscape with color in mind.

Other books you may enjoy:

 

Visit Rachelle’s Book Review Page to see all reviews HERE.

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*Affiliate links used in post. All reviews shared are Rachelle’s honest opinion.*

Book Review: Water So Deep by Nichole Giles

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Book Thoughts by Rachelle:

Nichole Giles was in my very first critique group and has continued to be a great friend and cheerleader in my writing world. I’m so thrilled for this book because I got to read this quite a while ago andWater So Deep: Book One (Water So Deep, Book One 1) by [Giles, Nichole] have been anxiously waiting for the rest of the world to enjoy this story!

The story of seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is intriguing because she’s human but she’s slowly changing, turning into a mermaid. Nichole Giles does an excellent job of helping the reader feel the intensity of this change and Emma’s need for water.

I love the secondary characters in this book. Emma has a close relationship with her brother, Keith, who is disabled. She cares for him and it’s great to see a strong sibling tie in a story with young adults.

Emma’s friend, or more-than-friend, James adds another layer to the story as it notches up the romantic tension and challenges Emma’s closed off trust skills. James interacts kindly with Keith and is a anchor in Emma’s world. But the real question is whether a mermaid can ever handle an anchor. There’s more to this story than you might think!

Nichole is an excellent writer with terrific skills at writing from a teenage perspective. This book has great clean romance, adventure, and a bit of mystery that will keep you turning the pages, gasping for breath along with Emma as you race to the finish!

This is a young adult novel with mild swearing and some innuendo. Enjoy Water So Deep!

Here’s more about the book:
Seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is drowning on dry land.

No one knows what’s happening to her, and she’d like to keep her evolution from human to mermaid a secret, but the truth is getting harder and harder to hide. From her adoptive family, from her friends, and especially from the irresistible James Phelps.

Her time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, while her time on land is split between caring for her special-needs brother and squeezing in every last possible moment of human life. She soon realizes falling for James is unavoidable when he constantly comes to Emma’s rescue and somehow manages to see through her carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. Everything about James makes Emma yearn for a life on land she just can’t have.

When Emma’s brother disappears on her watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save her brother, nothing can prevent her return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing—unable to breathe without yielding to the tide—and it’s only a matter of time before she’s forced to surrender forever.

Other books you may enjoy:
Descendant (The Descendant Series Book 1) by [Giles, Nichole]   

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