Hiding in Sunshine by John and Caitlin Stuart is an excellent and thoroughly engaging
read! I received the book complimentary from Influenster (
www.influenster.com) as an additional gift
beyond the products that I received in the Holiday 2012 Vox Box. I found the
book captivated my attention immediately. The authors do an excellent job
developing the characters so that they appear authentic. I also enjoyed the
juxtaposition of their former life in California and Connecticut to the setting
of rural Montana. The details that the authors use to describe the characters
and the setting allow you to fully immerse yourself in the plot. Additionally,
they have done a commendable job researching to describe genuine potential
situations that we could face in America today. The commentary on cyber
warfare, stolen identities, and the possibility of sophisticated criminals
terrorizing the current and future fiscal environment was poignant and draws
attention to a valid area of concern for every global citizen in contemporary
society. The author’s successfully weaved a story that was suspenseful and
relevant. The only element that I felt could be refined somewhat is that the
foreshadowing made the plot twist a bit too obvious for me. However, as a
reader you are looking for the resolution and closure in the story and you are
committed to the characters in a way that requires you to read until the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others!
I am including the official book description so you can get a better idea of the plot without me spoiling anything for you:
Living lives of quiet affluence in a historic, suburban Boston town,
Gavin and Lisa Brinkley had no idea how quickly and decisively their
lives, and those of their two young daughters, could be upended. A
series of events - a mysterious break-in at their home, some menacing
tailgating on the highway from Boston, a startling visit from an F.B.I.
agent warning of an imminent kidnapping attempt - leads to the family's
abrupt uprooting from its comfortable existence into a terrifying new
existence on the run, under new identities. This taut thriller by a
father-daughter team follows the eleven-year odyssey of an American
family on the run, in hiding through the mountain states of the American
west, where survival skills and living off the grid are paramount, but
so are friendship, cooperation, and resilience. The enemy, always
lurking just out of sight, is a foreign cyber-criminal enterprise that
launches breathtaking assaults on the American banking system and
physical infrastructure, but the Brinkleys also know that the threat is
deeply personal, reaching ever closer to them from the shadows of the
past. At the same time, Gavin and Lisa discover the perils of wandering
too close to the edges of the dark side, in the murky world of
cyber-security. A compelling story of suspense and treachery, HIDING IN
SUNSHINE is also a celebration of a family's abiding love and courage -
and a young girl's faith in the triumph of the truth.
The book Hiding in Sunshine by John and Caitlin Stuart can be purchased via Amazon in both physical and Kindle versions: http://www.amazon.com/Hiding-Sunshine-John-Stuart/dp/1477283315/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360261670&sr=8-1&keywords=hiding+in+sunshine You can also use the look inside feature or the sample feature on your Kindle to see if the book would suit your interests. Give it a few chapters, it does start off a bit slow, but the character development that the authors begin here is necessary for the plot later on. :o)
So, I received a free trial of the Quaker Real Medley's in the Apple Walnut flavor for testing purposes in the Holiday 2012 Vox Box from Influenster. I was super excited to receive this product because it was uber convenient and the flavor combinations sound awesome!I like all of the ingredients in the oatmeal including the nuts, but to be honest... I found the texture off-putting. (Sorry!) Although, I think this totally depends on personal preference because my picky eater (3yr old Savannah) finished the other half of the oatmeal that I left and asked for more. That's a HUGE victory for Quaker!! Really! I thought the overall flavor was delicious, which leads me to believe I might like the Summer Berry flavor better because I think the texture of the crunchy nuts in soft oatmeal was throwing me. I will certainly be picking some up and give Quaker Real Medley's another go. Here are some of the great things about the product:
