Reviews of All's
Fair
Review by Jaymie Reynolds of the Association for
Mormon Letters:
Kristen Shepherd has not had great luck with men. When still quite
young, Kristen fell hard for her friend's older brother. He in turn fell
hard for someone else. Now that she has grown up, Kristen has fallen for
a man who has it all. He is a member of a prominent family and seems to
have it all together. Yet the night before they are to be married, it
all falls apart.
Kristen receives a phone call telling her that her fiance is attempting
to transfer all of her money to a bank account in Saudi Arabia to fund a
terrorist organization whose membership includes his ex-wife. At the
same time that Kristen is dealing with her now ex-fiance, the Department
of Homeland Security, and intense scrutiny from the press, her brother
Brandon, a surgeon serving in the Iraq war, is also feeling the effects
of the same terrorist group.
Soon, Kristen, her father, and Ryan Jameson, the previous love of
Kristen's life, are informed that Brandon and a fellow surgeon have been
captured and are being held as prisoners of war. Of course, like any
good suspense novel, the trio does not choose to sit around and wait for
others to free the soldiers. Since all three are coincidentally well
connected in Washington, favors are called in, phone calls are made and
Mr. Shepherd, his daughter and Mr. Jameson are on their way to Iraq. The
chase is on.
All's Fair by Julie Coulter Bellon is a book that will appeal to a wide
target audience. Women will like the fact that the book's heroines are
strong without being over the top feminists. Men will enjoy the action.
This book is most suited for adults although some older teens may enjoy
it as well. While Brandon Shepherd is a member of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and as such is very much defined by his
beliefs, All's Fair is definitely not a book about religion. As such, it
is a book that can be enjoyed by the religious and irreligious alike.
This book was easy to read and really does not need any tweaking. It has
enough action to flow smoothly but not so much action that the storyline
gets weighed down. Mystery and mayhem abound aplenty with a healthy side
of romance. This book is not heavy reading but is an enjoyable way to
pass the time.
Reviews of Time
Will Tell
"This is a fast, entertaining read
that asks questions about choosing between career and family. I readily
recommend Time Will Tell to action readers."
"Nobody writes romantic intrigue
better than Julie Bellon. She has a gift for creating irresistible characters
and taking them to the ends of the earth in a series of plot twists that
leave her readers breathless. Her writing is so electric you can
almost feel the zing!"
—Kerry Blair, author of the Nightshade series
"...intriguing book with lots of page turners and hard to put down.
Very exciting and highly recommended."
Reviews of Be Prepared: A Parent's Guide to Boy Scouts
and the Duty to God Awards--What You Should Know
"Be Prepared astounded me when I first received it and I wish that I'd
had it from the beginning of my son's scouting adventures. Sister Bellon has
laid out in sequential fashion, and in a most articulate manner, all that is
necessary for your sons to complete these two awards' requirements.
The Eagle Scout Award.
Chock-full of checklists, the book gives many helpful suggestions -- even
including what to do before your boy's 11th birthday. I wish, wish, wish I'd
had this book when my family was first starting out. One of the most helpful
ideas was to obtain a two-inch binder so that as the months and years pass,
all your son's accomplishments will stay tidy and in orderly fashion. This is
a must, because to apply for the Eagle Scout Award, documentation of all prior
activities is required!
Additionally, Sister Bellon fills the reader in on boy scout
"lingo." Maybe some of you more experienced den mothers or scouting
moms would not need this, but for those of us new to scouting, the chapter on
"Boy Scout Lingo" is so helpful.
From there, the author takes you step by step to help you guide your son in
understanding how to complete the many scouting requirements asked of the
boys. For example, Sister Bellon advises six essential parts to create within
your binder -- things I wouldn't have thought of.
From there, it gets even better. Each scouting level is clearly articulated,
with parent checklists and helpful tips for your son. For example, under
"Second Class Requirements", the author writes:
It is important to keep track of every campout he goes on, every service
he performs, and every hike he does if he chooses the Hiking merit badge. Two
of the required merit badges are Camping and Hiking (although he may choose
Cycling or Swimming instead of Hiking). If you have not kept accurate records,
this may really hinder your son from getting these badges (p. 13).
The author finishes off the section on Eagle Scout requirements with an
explanation of the court of honor, where the scout actually is presented with
his award. Although brief in portion, the ideas are potent.
The Duty to God Award.
This section of the book explains the significance of the Duty to God award
and clearly illuminates that this award is a significant step towards your son
receiving (and valuing) the Melchizedek Priesthood. The author has
thoughtfully included step by step checklists towards each portion of this
award, in addition to cross-referenced tables to aid him in the process.
The author finishes off the book with a helpful Appendix of additional charts
so that all steps towards these awards are clearly defined and articulated.
Summary.
In summary, this book, Be Prepared: A Parent's Guide to Boy Scouts and the
Duty to God Award - What You Should Know is an essential guide for every
home where there are sons. Although it is slim in nature (merely 110 pages) it
is concise and acts as a calm, steadying hand for those of us who are new to
the Eagle Scout and Duty to God process. Setting aside the few editorial
typos, this handy volume is definitely something you'll want to pick up for
easy reading and to aid your sons in obtaining the two awards our church
leaders have asked them to work towards.
C.S. Bezas, BellaOnline
Reviews of On the Edge
"I rarely have time to indulge in my
love for reading a novel - not for research - just for the pure pleasure of it.
But during the Christmas holidays I was able to read On the Edge and was so
impressed. The plot is well thought out, the characters are believable and the
information about Uganda was interesting. The pace was fast enough for me (a lot
of good books aren't quite) and it kept me guessing (as a 'tricker' myself I'm
hard to fool). The book was beautifully written and edited (I didn't notice a
single typo). I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery."
- Betsy
Brannon Green
Romantic Mystery Author
"I am addicted! I finished your book, On the Edge, this morning before
getting out of bed! It was sooooo good! You are such a talented
writer. I loved the international setting and feel of your book. You captured
places I have never been with such detail I felt like I was there. Have
a fun week, and please write as much as you can because I am a huge fan now!"
- Sarah Isaacson
"From the first paragraph, I was hooked on a
tale of two intelligence officers, one a CIA agent from the United States and
the other, a Canadian Security Intelligence Service agent, pursuing the same
terrorist leader without either knowing the other’s true reason for being in
the third world nation of Uganda . . . On the Edge is a quick but
satisfying read. The characters, especially Dylan, are well-developed and the
minor native characters are fleshed out enough to allow readers to sympathize
with them . . . With this second novel, Julie Coulter Bellon has established
herself as an author worth watching for."
—Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine
Read the entire review at
http://www.meridianmagazine.com/books/050615edge.html
"Mystery and suspense
adventures are currently the most popular form of LDS fiction. Most
include some of the elements of romance, though the focus is on the adventure.
The mystery and suspense readers on anyone’s shopping list are going to be
pleased with any of this year’s bumper crop. Standoff by Jeff
Downs, No Way Out by Christine Kersey, Mirror Image by Clair M.
Poulson, On the Edge by Julie Coulter Bellon... "
- Jennie Hansen of Meridian Magazine.
Reader Comments
"Just wanted to let you know I finished On the Edge. All I can say is WOW!
Julie is a writer who keeps you on your toes all the time. I really enjoyed this book and
look forward the next one coming out!" (C. Nattress, SLC, UT)
Reviews of Through
Love's Trials
"Through Love's Trials is a great read.
The romance is tender, the adventure exciting—I highly recommend this story! I
can't wait to see what Julie writes next!"
—Rachel Ann Nunes, author of the Ariana
series
"Local writer's work sees
second printing Pleasant Grove author Julie Bellon, first introduced
her book, "Through Love's Trials" in the LDS fiction market this June.
Currently in it's second printing, its
Pleasant Grove setting will take local readers on a familiar journey into
several well-known landmarks. Readers may also recognize a few familiar people
like the mayor, city administrator and several other city workers."
Read
entire article in the Pleasant Grove Review
"I read Julie Coulter Bellon's Through
Love's Trials and absolutely loved it. I loved the characters
and the story, and I particularly loved her writing. Truly, it has
romance, mystery, intrigue, a message, and it's all couched in lovely prose.
What more is there to ask of one small book? I can't wait for the next
to come out."
—Kerry Blair, author
"If you liked On the Edge, I think you will also like her first novel,
Through Love's Trials. It is also a mystery/romance. It is also fast paced and keeps you thinking. It takes you from Phoenix, to Utah, to Idaho and to Jackson Hole. It also gives you a brief look at Alberta. I think it lets you see how some companies in the US are owned by foreign people. It gave you a look into Drug Lords and their desire to take over the world. Try it when you can."
- Diane, a Reader
Former Resident Tackles U.S./Canada Relations in New Book
Temple City Star, July 28,2004
One of the LDS fiction world's newest and brightest lights has come out with a
compelling new novel.
Julie Coulter Bellon, a Lethbridge native who lived in Cardston in her younger
years, has written Through Love's Trials,
published by Spring Creek Books.
The novel relies heavily on her Canadian roots and uses characters that truly
reflect Canadian values. She includes a main character who is a Canadian
Security Intelligence Service agent trying to stop a terrorist
attack on Unites States soil.
"I wanted to show that Canadians are involved, intelligent people who are
the United States' greatest ally," said Bellon, who presently lives in
Pleasant Grove, Utah. "But above all I wanted to show that it doesn't
matter what nationality you are--love transcends everything."
The novel combines adventure with a tender
love story set partly in Alberta. Well-known LDS author Rachel Nunes has
endorsed the book, calling it "a great read."
Bellon is a graduate of Brigham Young University, a resident of Utah and a
mother of six. For more information you can go SpringCreekBooks.com.
The novel will also be available for purchase at the Cardston Book Shop.
Meridian Magazine Fiction Christmas List
2004
Bellon is a first time author, and Through
Love’s Trials is one of two first novels published by Spring Creek,
a new LDS-oriented publishing company. An unexpected request to deliver
a computer disk to a co-worker’s ex-wife leads Kenneth King from Arizona to
Utah with a quick side trip to Alberta, Canada. Mixed in with a pair of
cautious lovers is plenty of unexpected danger. The involvement of the
Canadian Secret Service adds a different twist... (Jennie Hansen)
