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Showing posts with label Dangerous Connections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dangerous Connections. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Dangerous Connections by Julie Coulter Bellon - Summer Countdown 2010

Posted by Shanda


13 days until the
first day of summer!


What can I say about me? I have a wonderful husband and seven (almost eight!) children whom I adore. I am Canadian, but married an American and settled in the States. I have the best of both worlds! My claim to fame is that I met Princess Diana when I was twelve years old. I love to travel and my favorite cities are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. I would love to visit Australia and Scotland someday. And New Zealand. Ooh, and Ireland. Well, you get the picture. I’m learning to play the bagpipes and I’m not very good at it, (I think I sound like a sick moose) but I’m working on it. I teach a journalism course for BYU Continuing Education, which makes me happy since I’m able to use my Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education-English Teaching for something other than a conversation piece. I love to read, write, teach, play volleyball or badminton, and take long bubble baths (which doesn’t happen too often, but I love it when it does). I have the most amazing supportive family and being a published author fulfilled a lifelong dream.


Visit Julie's website: www.juliebellon.com and read her Thursday blog posts on Six LDS Writers and a Frog.


LSDWBR: What activities do you and/or your family participate in every summer? Do you have plans to try something or go somewhere new this year?

JULIE: Every summer we travel to a different state since we are trying to get to every state. So far our family has visited seventeen so we still have a long way to go. We have loved seeing some amazing things so far, like Mount Rushmore, the Redwoods, Mesa Verde, Yellowstone Park, Glacier Park, two presidential museums, John Wayne's birthplace, and of course, Disneyland to name a few.


LDSWBR: Do you have a favorite summer food or drink? If so, are you willing to share the recipe?

JULIE: I really, really love raspberry lemonade in the summer. Sometimes I just wish I had a verandah so I could sit on it with my tall glass of lemonade. For now, I just make do with my ordinary porch.


LDSWBR: What books are on your summer reading list?

JULIE: Mockingjay, the third in the Hunger Games trilogy, Alma the Younger by H.B. Moore, A Time to Die by Jeffrey S. Savage, and Cold as Ice by Stephanie Black. I'm currently reading Between the Lines by Erin Klingler and just finished Wrong Number by Rachelle Christensen. There's so many great books out now, I can hardly walk into a bookstore because there's so many I want to get!


LDSWBR: Thanks, Julie!


Dangerous Connections by Julie Coulter Bellon (Covenant Communications; March 2010) is available for purchase at Deseret Book and Seagull Book.




Do you or your family have a vacation goal, such as visiting all 50 states like Julie and her family? How many states have you visited in your lifetime?


Tweet this today for an entry in the drawing:

Dangerous Connections by Julie Bellon - Countdown to Summer 2010- Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card & books! http://bit.ly/9LC8xs #ldswbr2010



If you read and liked the book by this author, nominate it for a Whitney Award! Visit the LDS Publisher blog for a list of several fiction books published by LDS authors in 2010.


***Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest***

LDSWBR will hold a drawing on June 26, 2010 for a $25 Amazon Gift Card, as well as a variety of books being offered by some of the LDS authors that will be featured on the blog.

Book prizes generously donated by the authors:

  • Abish: Daughter of God by K.C. Grant
  • TRAPPED by Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen
  • The Road Show by Braden Bell
  • Awakening Avery by Laurie Lewis
  • Courting Miss Lancaster by Sarah M. Eden
  • Summer in Paris by Michele Ashman Bell
  • Hometown Girl by Michele Ashman Bell
  • Alma the Younger by Heather (H.B.) Moore
  • Queen in Exile OR The Guise of a Gentleman by Donna Hatch (winner's choice)
  • The Silence of God by Gale Sears (book or audio- winner's choice)
  • Dangerous Connections by Julie Coulter Bellon
  • Critique of three chapters (up to 30 pages) from Nichole Giles

How to enter:

  • Post a thoughtful comment on the Countdown to Summer 2010 author posts. Comments can be added on any of the author posts anytime during the contest period (June 1, 2010 through June 21, 2010). Only one comment per person per "Countdown to Summer" author post will be entered into the drawing. Feel free to comment more than once per post if you'd like, but only one comment will be accepted as an entry.
  • Follow us on Twitter: @LDSWBR - then send us a direct message to let us know you want to be entered in the Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest. If you are already a follower you need to send us a direct message telling us you want to be included in the contest.
  • Tweet about that day’s author post using the tweet message included in each author post. Send an email to ldswbr at gmail dot com with the link to your tweet.Only one tweet per day counts so no need to harass your friends :). LDSWBR must be able to see the tweet in order for you to get an entry into the contest.
  • Tweet this message each day (one entry per day). Just copy and paste into your twitter message window to send it: LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2010 at http://ldswbr.blogspot.com! Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card & some great books! @ldswbr #ldswbr2010
  • Follow LDSWBR on Facebook, then send an email to ldswbr at gmail dot com that you’d like to be entered into the Countdown to Summer 2010 Contest. If you already follow LDSWBR on Facebook, send us an email to let us know you’d like to be included in the contest.
  • Blog about this contest on your blog in a post that includes the link to the LDSWBR blog, then send us the link to your specific blog post.

Here are the rules:

  • LDSWBR reserves the right to decide what determines a "thoughtful" comment.
  • Contest ends at 12:00 Midnight MDT on June 25, 2010. Drawing winners will have until 12:00 Midnight MDT on July 3, 2010 to claim their prize. After that time, another name will be drawn to receive the prize.
  • Book prizes can only be shipped within the contiguous United States.

Please join us in counting down to summer with some great reads!


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Sunday, April 11, 2010

LDSWBR Episode 41 & Dangerous Connections by Julie Coulter Bellon

Posted by Shanda



LDSWBR Podcast Episode 41 with author Julie Coulter Bellon is now available for download! Search for LDS Women's Book Review in iTunes to subscribe, or you can listen directly through the LDS Women's Book Review Podcast website. We had such a fun time with Julie.

She's been so patient and if I knew where to get some catsup (ketchup??) chips I'd probably buy Julie a whole case! (Podcast joke - listen to Episode 41 and laugh with us about it - you know you want to!) Don't forget to stick around for the blooper reel.





In honor of the release of our podcast with Julie, I am reviewing her latest book, Dangerous Connections, which was released in March. So go start the podcast and then come back here and read my review while you listen ;).



Title: Dangerous Connections

Author: Julie Coulter Bellon

Publisher: Covenant Communications

Published Date: March 2010

ISBN#: 978-1-59811-919-0

Paperback; 206 pages


Dangerous Connections is a spin-off of Julie's last book, All's Fair, and it continues Tyler's story. In a nutshell, Tyler and Isabella must figure out how to stop a terrorist plot while facing double agents and avoiding capture.

As soon as Tyler arrives at his hotel in Paris, things seem a little off. His father is nowhere to be found, but has left a note telling Tyler to return home to the United States immediately. Worried, Tyler opens a message intended for his father, finding only a name and phone number. Tyler decides to wait in Paris until he can figure out what is going on with his father.

When Tyler discovers he is being followed during a visit to the Musee d'Orsay, he uses his military training to incapacitate the man trailing him. Taking a chance, Tyler decides to call the number in the message left for his father, hoping to gather information. Instead he finds an attractive French agent, her wounded brother, and their mission to uncover both a terrorist plot and the al-Qaeda mole (or moles) within the French DGSE organization. Little does Tyler realize how his search for his father will connect him to their mission.

Tyler and Isabella are pursued by both the terrorists and the DGSE. Unsure who they can trust, they come so close to preventing disaster only to find themselves in the worst possible situation: captured by terrorists, surrounded by explosives, and helpless to stop the poisoning of several thousand U.S. troops.

Dangerous Connections is full of suspense and intrigue. Having spent time in France, Julie's knowledge of the locale is apparent throughout the book. Julie's respect for those who sacrifice to serve our country shows in the way she wrote Tyler. It's easy to see that Julie enjoys writing international intrigue.

What worked for me: I enjoy the characters and plots Julie creates. All's Fair and Dangerous Connections are just the right length for a quick, suspense-filled read. The ending was very intense, and I wondered how things could possibly work out.

Julie's heroines are always strong and capable women, which I appreciate. I loved it every time Isabella kicked a little hiney. I liked Tyler and his refusal to leave Isabella to face the terrorists alone. While the focus is on the suspense, there are some tender scenes (and a couple of nice kisses, too).

Tyler comes across The Book of Mormon a couple of times, and while neither Tyler nor Isabella are members, the discussion is centered around finding peace and isn't preachy at all.

What didn't work for me: I like the characters Julie writes, but I find myself wanting to know more about them. I understand that there isn't as much "time" to delve into a character in a suspense novel compared to, say, historical fiction, but if there was one thing I would suggest to Julie, it would be finding a way to let her readers really get to know and connect personally with the characters a bit more.

For example, I would have liked to have learned more about Tyler's father, Craig Winthrop. I wanted to be as concerned about him as Tyler seemed to be, but there wasn't much said about him, so I couldn't relate with Craig enough to care as much as I would have expected considering he was in danger.

On the other hand Isabella's concern for her brother, Marcus, was easier to connect with since he was more often on Isabella's mind, specifically giving insights into the kind of man and brother Marcus was to her. We got to know the character's character, so to speak. Getting to know Craig better through Tyler would have balanced the story out nicely.

Overall, I think Julie did a great job. I enjoyed Dangerous Connections and look forward to reading Julie's next novel.

A little about the author: Julie Coulter Bellon is a sweet and humble woman, mother of seven, basketball coach, teacher of journalism for BYU Continuing Education, blogger on Six LDS Writers and a Frog, and lover of catsup (ketchup?- someone please help me out here) chips :).

Julie will be teaching at the LDStoryMakers Conference. Click here to view the class schedule and to sign up for the Conference. Hurry, only a few days left to sign up!

Visit Julie's website at juliebellon.com. Follow Julie on Twitter: @juliebellon. Dangerous Connections is available for purchase from Deseret Book, Seagull Book and Amazon.


My rating: 4 stars (I liked it!)

Would I-
  • read it again? Yes
  • recommend it? Yes
  • read more books by Julie? That's the plan!

FTC FYI: I received a free review copy which did not affect my review.



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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Teaser Tuesday - April 6, 2010

Posted by Shanda

Teaser Tuesdays are back! Don't forget to leave a teaser from your current read in the comments section below.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:


  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Shanda's Teaser:

"They were on the outskirts of Paris when Isabella made her move. She had almost passed a sleepy tree-lined boulevard when she swerved onto it, barley missing an older man intent on crossing the street. She gunned the engine and sped down the small road."

Dangerous Connections by Julie Coulter Bellon, page 92






Sheila's Teaser:

"Stop!" Seth yelled, swinging his torch angrily. The corpses paused. "I'm not afraid anymore! You just startled me." As he said the words, he realized they were true. Apparently the standing dead could sense it as well. None of them stirred.

Fablehaven Book 5: Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull, page 447





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