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Showing posts with the label challenge

April Fool Tarot Challenge

I found some really interesting tarot challenges on Tumblr.  I decided to go ahead and post them on my blog as well.  You can find me on Tumblr here . So the first challenge that I will be doing is the April Fool Tarot Challenge.  Here is a listing of each day: 1. The April Fool Spread : Shuffle, and find the Fool. The cards on either side are “what to be optimistic about this month” and “what to be wary of, in case it’s a trick” 2. Tarot Garden : Go through your decks and see if you can find at least three different flower species depicted. Take a super aesthetic photo of this tarot garden! 3. The Sun Cross Spread : Shuffle and find the Sun. The cards on either side are things that will warm up your spring 4. Green Thumb : Find three cards (or more!) with green as the dominant colour. Do the cards’ meanings relate somehow? If differentiating colours is difficult, select one or more cards that mean “growth” to you. 5. The April Showers Spread : Pull a card to represent Apri

Early Review–Breath of Angel

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Book Description   The stranger’s cloak had fallen back, and with it, a long, white, blood-stained wing. When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man. Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and stories—until now. Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When the feud turns violent and Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without the repayment of an ancient debt—the “breath of angel, blood of man,” a payment that involves Melaia’s heart, soul, and destiny. Book Review   This book is the first in the Angeleon Circle.  This was an incredible book.  It was an

Book Tour–A Cowboy’s Touch

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It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Denise Hunter and the book: A Cowboy's Touch Thomas Nelson (March 29, 2011) ***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while

Early Review–The Betrayal of Maggie Blair

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Book Description   In seventeenth-century Scotland, saying the wrong thing can lead to banishment—or worse. Accused of being a witch, sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair is sentenced to be hanged. She escapes, but instead of finding shelter with her principled, patriotic uncle, she brings disaster to his door.  Betrayed by one of her own accusers, Maggie must try to save her uncle and his family from the king’s men, even if she has to risk her own life in the process. Originally published in the UK, this book has a powerful blend of heart-stopping action and thought-provoking themes. Book Review   First let me say that I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this cover.  It is so beautiful. This book had actually been previously released in the UK under another name.  It is going to be making its US debut in just a short while. Elizabeth Laird allows the reader to step back in time to 17th century Scotland.  It was a time of struggle and strife.  Young Maggie Blair was falsely accuse

Early Review–The Outlaw Bride

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Book Description   Katherine Slade has two goals: to escape her outlaw husband and to find the family of the man who died saving her life. Taking the place of a mail-order bride isn't part of her plan—until she's forced to continue the charade and become Sheriff Connor Langston's housekeeper to stay out of jail. Pretending to be another woman is hard, but Katherine's real challenge is resisting her growing attraction to the handsome lawman… Falling in love is the last thing Connor needs, even if the rest of Fatal Bluff wants him to. His hands are full with a band of outlaws threatening the safety of his town, and a child to raise. But Kate has a way of getting under his skin and into little Jenny's heart. Soon Connor can't get the fiery beauty out of his head—along with his suspicion that Kate isn't who she claims to be. When Connor learns the truth about Kate, is there any way for this outlaw bride to become the sheriff's wife? Book Review

Book Review–Sunstruck

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Book Description   Twenty-four year old Daniella is an architecture student living with her narcissistic artist boyfriend in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Abandoned by her father at an early age, Daniella always falls for the wrong type of man. Her most enduring male relationship so far is with her 30-pound Turkish angora cat. Thankfully, Daniella's mother is always there to offer a shoulder.  Several strange mysteries are threaded through Daniella's everyday life; her ex-husband, Ismael, has just opened an outlandish hotel for animal lovers that has her distraught; Ismael's wife, a rich woman Daniella fondly refers to as "Lady Dracula," has some gruesome ways to keep her skin looking young; Daniella's mother is founding a revolutionary, feminist society called The Praying Mantises; the island's national forest is being depleted of hallucinogenic mushrooms; meanwhile, young girls are disappearing and there's a nut loose dressed as Zorro slashing the rea

Early Review–dot.com dating

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Book Description   A third of America’s singles are dating online. Millions of singles find the love of their life through a dating site. So what about you? Do you fear megapixels and modems will take the romance out of finding love? Are you put off by a stigma that no longer exists? Or maybe, with more than 1,000 online dating sites to choose from, you’re wondering who is truly safe and trusted. Whatever your reasons, this easy-to-read book will help you gain confidence in finding love online. You’ll explore: Ways to Avoid Liars, Losers and Freaks Six Ways to Know if Online Dating is for You The Big Myths About Cyber Dating Five Questions You Absolutely Must Ask Before Signing Up   Improve your love IQ with the help of relationship experts Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott. Learn the inside information you need to know about using dot.com dating to find your potential soulmate. Book Review   Part one of the book is devoted to

Review–Any Witch Way

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Book Description   Enduring the teasing and ridicule of her school mates, Sadie struggles through life as a pre-teen on the eve of her 13th birthday. Three years ago, a car crash took her mother, but Sadie never saw her body. She refuses to believe her mother is really gone. Holding fast to that feeling earns her the nickname "Crazy Sadie." Despite her one wish to be normal, Sadie only finds solace with a small group of unusual characters. These unlikely friends give her a “semi-normal” life outside of school in a bookstore where strange and mystical things seem to happen. In fact, if Sadie entertains her deepest suspicions, her friends are a little mystical. When her birthday arrives however, Sadie finds herself whisked into a magical world that swirls just under the surface of normal, everyday life. Not only does she learn she’ll soon become a witch, but she also discovers she must battle The Syndicate to save her new world. Faced with fantastical encou

Review–The Father of Hollywood

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Book Description   The world has been fascinated by Hollywood, California, for years. The glamour, the sophistication, the scandal—the world can't help but follow the happenings of this incredible city. It is a city where stories are created, stories that come to life on a screen and allow viewers the chance to escape their everyday lives for a bit. But few people know the story of how Hollywood came to be. In this beautifully written biography, author Gaelyn Whitley Keith introduces readers to her great-grandfather, HJ Whitley, The Father of Hollywood. Keith uses her research and her great-grandmother Gigi's journal and memoir to recreate the story of HJ's life, a story as captivating as any film. You'll travel to the Midwest, interacting with cowboys and Native Americans. You'll cruise around the world. But most importantly, you'll watch the development of an unforgettable community. You'll witness the creation of Whitley Heights. You'll learn ho

F is for Fran

Growing up, our next door neighbor was Ms. Frances L.  I always called her Ms. Frances.  She was my mom’s best friend. My mom told me of a time where I was going to run away.  I packed my bag and I was heading out the door.  Of course, I wasn’t going to go far.  I was just heading next door to Ms. Frances house.  My dad used to love playing pranks on her.  I remember one time when she was having a pool built in her back yard.  She was over hanging out by our pool with me and my mom.  The pool builders told her that her phone was ringing in the house.  She said to not worry about it because whoever it is can just call back later (this was way before answering machines).  The phone just kept ringing and ringing.  The guys kept telling her that the phone wasn’t stopping.  That is must be important for that person to just sit there and let it continuously ring.  So she climbed the fence to get to her house.  It was much quicker then going through our house to get around to her house. 

Review–Romancing Hollywood Nobody

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Book Description   Scotty and Charley find romance in the Highlands when a couple of cute guys in kilts look their way. How will Seth and Jeremy react when they realize the ladies who were interested in them have captured the hearts of a young bagpiper and a Scottish actor? Meanwhile, as Scotty and her dad look for answers to their questions about faith, they also look for Scotty’s mom. The search takes them deep into mob territory, where someone will go to any length to keep the past a secret. Will Scotty lose everything that’s become important to her? Book Review   First off, let me say that I had received the first 2 books ( Hollywood Nobody and Finding Hollywood Nobody ) free through the NavPress Blogger Review Program .  I had already read and reviewed them.  Then I noticed that number 4 is the next one available.  So I decided to go ahead and buy number 3.  I didn’t want to miss anything.  I love this series so much.  The characters are so much fun.  Its one o

Early Review–The Goddess Test

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Book Description   It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall. Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests. Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess. Book Review   When I first read the description of this book, I was all excited.  I absolutely love reading the various myths.  Greek and Celtic myths are my absolute favorite.  And when I realized that its Hades and Persephone revisited, I was ecstatic. The story was pretty decent.  It just didn’t live up

Early Review–The Dragon’s Path

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Book Description   All paths lead to war... Marcus' hero days are behind him. He knows too well that even the smallest war still means somebody's death. When his men are impressed into a doomed army, staying out of a battle he wants no part of requires some unorthodox steps. Cithrin is an orphan, ward of a banking house. Her job is to smuggle a nation's wealth across a war zone, hiding the gold from both sides. She knows the secret life of commerce like a second language, but the strategies of trade will not defend her from swords. Geder, sole scion of a noble house, has more interest in philosophy than in swordplay. A poor excuse for a soldier, he is a pawn in these games. No one can predict what he will become. Falling pebbles can start a landslide. A spat between the Free Cities and the Severed Throne is spiraling out of control. A new player rises from the depths of history, fanning the flames that will sweep the entire region onto The Dragon's Path

Book Tour–An Atlas of Impossible Longing

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Book Description   Already a sensation around the world:  family life meets historical romance in an astonishing novel about two people who find each other when abandoned by everyone else, marking the signal American debut of a writer who richly deserves her international acclaim. On the outskirts of a small town in Bengal, a family lives in solitude in their vast new house.  Here, lives intertwine and unravel.  A widower struggles with his love for an unmarried cousin.  Bakul, a motherless daughter, runs wild with Mukunda, an orphan of unknown caste adopted by the family.  Confined in a room at the top of the house, a matriarch goes slowly mad; her husband searches for its cause as he shapes and reshapes his garden. As Mukunda and Bakul grow, their intense closeness matures into something else, and Mukunda is banished to Calcutta.  He prospers in the turbulent years after Partition, but his thoughts stay with his home, with Bakul, with all that he has lost – and he knows tha

Review–Blood Soup

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Book Description   King Theodicar of Borgund needed an heir. When his wife, Queen Piacenza, became pregnant, he'd hoped for a boy. His wife, along with her nurse, Salvagia, had other plans. With each cast of the runes, Salvagia's trusted divination tools yielded the same message: "A girl child must rule or the kingdom will fall to ruin." As such, the women were convinced that the child would be a girl. When the queen finally gives birth, the nurse and the king are equally surprised. The king is faced with a terrible choice, and his decision will determine the fate of his kingdom. Will he choose wisely, or will he doom Borgund to ruin? Book Review   At first I wasn’t sure what to expect because it is very difficult to write a fantasy novella.  However, Kelly A Harmon did exactly that and she succeeded.  The book starts with Queen Pia pregnant.  Her nurse, Salvagia, can see that the life is being drained away from her during this pregnancy.  During this ti

Review–Wheels: The Laws and Theories of Reincarnation

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Book Description   Are you fascinated by the laws of reincarnation? Do you ever wonder who you were in your past lives or who those close to you were? Often the people who are close to you in this life were relatives in a former life. A brother/sister relationship in a previous life can lead to a failed marriage in this one. Would you like to know how much longer you have to live or whether a public or violent death can be avoided? These may seem like mysteries that can't be solved, but Joanna Marks gives the reader a step-by-step analysis of natal charts, or Wheels , that will answer these questions and many more. She explains how your nodes of the moon can give you hints as to your identity in past lives. In some cases, an early death can even be avoided by simply moving to a new location. Marks also shows you how to find your daughter- or son-in-law in your astrological sign. Diagrams of the various wheels are included, as well as an in-depth analysis of her own wheel

C is for Crime Dramas

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Image via Wikipedia One of my favorite types of TV shows is the crime drama.  I get so involved in watching the mysteries unfold. Of course, my all time favorite is NCIS, with Abby being my favorite character.  I try my best not to miss an episode.  The interaction between Gibbs and his team is incredible.  I have to admit that I like Ziva more then I liked Kate.  I so want a Burt The Hippo.  He is so awesome!!  And why can’t we get a decent cup of Caf-Pow? Another great crime drama is Criminal Minds.  I don’t always get a chance to watch this one when it is on.  So I have the DVR set to record it.   Shemar Moore (the guy who plays Morgan) is HOT!  I loved watching him on Birds of Prey.  What are your favorite shows?

Review - Nerve

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Book Description   Nerves make us bomb job interviews, first dates, and SATs. With a presentation looming at work, fear robs us of sleep for days. It paralyzes seasoned concert musicians and freezes rookie cops in tight situations. And yet not everyone cracks. Soldiers keep their heads in combat; firemen rush into burning buildings; unflappable trauma doctors juggle patient after patient. It's not that these people feel no fear; often, in fact, they're riddled with it. In Nerve , Taylor Clark draws upon cutting-edge science and painstaking reporting to explore the very heart of panic and poise. Using a wide range of case studies, Clark overturns the popular myths about anxiety and fear to explain why some people thrive under pressure, while others falter-and how we can go forward with steadier nerves and increased confidence. Book Review   I tend to be one of those people who is always nervous.  I get nervous going to new places, meeting new people, and so on. 

Early Review–Heart of Ice

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Book Description   The Triple Threat Club novels follow three fiercely intelligent women-a TV reporter, a Federal prosecutor and an FBI agent-as they investigate crimes as current as today's headlines. The Triple Threat women have faced intense situations before…but never such a cunningly cold-blooded murderer. Elizabeth Avery is a stunningly beautiful woman. But her perfectly managed exterior hides the ice cold heart of a killer. She ingeniously manipulates everyone who crosses her path to do exactly as she wishes--from crime reporter Cassidy Shaw, who thinks Elizabeth is her new best friend, to a shy young man Elizabeth persuades to kill for her. As Elizabeth leaves a trail of bodies in her wake, Federal prosecuter Allison Pierce and FBI agent Nicole Hedges must piece together clues from seemingly unrelated crimes. Can they stop her before she reaches her unthinkable, ultimate end-game?   Book Review   [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qEcbPRLlzY&fs=

Early Review–Collision Course

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Book Description   Mara Skiren is a scavenger, a black-market dealer. Blackmailed into helping Commander Kell Frayne infiltrate a treacherous corner of the galaxy, Mara learns that her biggest danger is from her sexy, by-the-book partner. She’s a loner with more than a few battle scars on her heart, but something about Commander Frayne stirs up her long-buried need for an intimate connection. An ace pilot for the elite Black Wraith Squadron, Kell’s mission is to rescue a lost pilot and ship. Unable to deny his attraction to the beautiful, rebellious woman, he decides bedding her would cool his ardor. But one taste is not nearly enough, and he finds himself sharing more of his real self with Mara than he has with anyone.   With deadly criminals on their heels and an increasingly dangerous assignment to complete, he’s starting to wonder…. If they survived, could he let her go? And will Mara want to stay? Book Review   This was my first book read by this author.  I was