Review - Downy Unstopables

I have to tell you guys about this amazing website I'm apart of called Vocalpoint, its a great website where you can get samples, full-size products and just have a great community of people to chat with online. You can join by clicking here.

Since I've joined Vocalpoint, I've been up and up on all the greatest products just like this new one I recieved in the mail. I got new Downy Unstopables in the mail and was chosen to review this product for Vocalpoint!



I have to tell you that I really love this new product! It smells SO fresh when you open it, and it smells so good on your clothes. They have a cool "squeeze and sniff" feature, where you can just squeeze the bottle to have a burst of that fresh scent.

It's really simple to use, all you have to do is put the little beads in the wash before you put your clothes in. It's supposed to make the freshness in your clothes last longer.

I sweat a LOT in my car because I have no air conditioning and it's summer time, so this product sounded GREAT to me! I don't think that the scent lasts as long as it says it will, but maybe I didn't put enough of the beads into the wash I had (because it was a large wash). I like that you're able to choose how much you wanna put it, and that it's easy to use.

I think if you want your clothes to smell fresh or lavender-y, I would definitely reccomend this product! I really enjoyed it. :]

Review - Shattered by Melody Carlson

Shattered

By: Melody Carlson

ISBN: 978-1-60006-949-9

Published by: NavPress

Released on April 15, 2011

208 Pages

Back Cover (description from Amazon):

Everybody does it—sneaks out of the house now and then. It's harmless enough, right? Not this time. Cleo Neilson faces the chilling consequences of her actions. Now she has a secret and can’t tell anyone, and it’s breaking her heart. As Cleo fights through her grief and guilt, she learns about faith in God and forgiveness through him. As teenage girls read Cleo's journey, they too will learn the value of having faith and receiving forgiveness as well as just how dangerous it really is to keep a secret.

[series copy]
Every teenage girl has a secret. And every teenage girl loves hearing someone else’s secret. But some secrets are big enough to detour, derail, or even destroy a young person’s life. Each of Melody Carlson’s Secrets novels will propel readers into a world where promises are broken, life is not fair, and challenges can make or break them, while ultimately helping readers discover that solid faith, loyal friends, and a persistent spirit will see them through.

Review:

I have loved Melody Carlson since I read her Diary of A Teenage Girl Series, and she's one of my favorite authors. She wrote the True Color series, which is another one of my favorites. When my mom asked me if I wanted to review this new book in Melody Carlson's new series, I jumped on the opportunity.

This book is about Cleo and a lie she tells to her mother that completely shatters her from the inside out. I liked the surprising turns that this book took. I thought I had this book pegged when I first started reading it (because I always read the ending first!!) but Melody threw me a couple curve balls during the story.

Shattered was a quick read. I read it in a couple of hours, but throughly enjoyed it. I cared for Cleo and everything she went through. I related with a lot of the feelings she had in the book about her mother, and the guilt she felt for keeping secrets. I think the Secrets series is a great thing that Melody is doing.

Secrets can tear any teenager, or adult, apart. They will eat you from the inside out. It's amazing the way that Melody delves into the mind of Cleo and how she tries to not think about everything that's happening around her. She has a mentality that if she doesn't feel it, it's not really happening. It was very interesting watching all the puzzle pieces fall into place.

This book could have taken a lot of turns, and I appreciate the turns that it took. I wish the book had been longer, maybe more in depth and that her kind-of "break down" had been more intense. But I know she probably had a page limit, and it's probably just that "soap-opera" side of me kicking in. :D 

You will absolutely love this book, it deals with a couple of tough issues in a great way. If you're looking for a fast, but deep and enjoyable read check out Shattered by Melody Carlson. You won't regret it!!

About the Author(taken from here):

Melody Carlson has written around 200 books for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her books range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including the Rita and Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Other series by the author(check out all her books here):

Preview: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

This book...omg...it looks so good! I CANNOT wait for this to come out. Sept 27th is just too far away. I would say that we should fast forward time, so that I could read this book...but my son was born on Sept 25th and I'm totally not ready for him to be a year yet.. :P

BUT this book sounds amazing. I love books where the main characters lose their memory and it's kind of a mystery to figure it out through the book.

There is an awesome contest going on at the author's website right now! You should enter!
Add this book to your TBR list and add this widget to your blog! Cannot wait!!


Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer hits stores everywhere 9.27.11. Pre-order your copy here. Download the widget here. Enter to win an Advanced Reader’s Copy here.

Review - Predator by Terri Blackstock

Predator

By: Terri Blackstock

ISBN: 978-0-310-25066-1

Published By: Zondervan

Released on May 24, 2010

336 Pages

Back Cover (Description from Amazon):

Bestselling author Terri Blackstock presents another stand-alone novel, Predator. The murder of Krista Carmichael's fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God's justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome? Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line. Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.

Review:

This is one of the best books I've read in awhile. Terri Blackstock grips you from the beginning and leaves you completely satisfied in the end. A fourteen year old girl is murdered essentially because of what is posted on her "Grapevyne" page. Grapevyne in this novel is a mix of Facebook and Twitter, people are constantly posting "Thought Bubbles", snapping pictures of themselves, and sharing their day-to-day activities with their followers. This book makes you think REALLY hard about what you post online. 


The murderer in this book knows everything about these girls because of their Grapevyne page. They take pictures of themselves in places, post about what their doing and what they're going to be wearing. One scene in this book, in particular, makes your hair stand on end. He finds a girl at the airport, and knows exactly who she is, what she's wearing and how to get her into his car, all because he's a follower on her Grapevyne page. 


This book makes me think twice about what to post on my own Facebook page,  I can have all the privacy settings in the world but there are people out there who can get into my Facebook page if they really want to. That's scary. I think that this book should be required to read in schools. Teenagers and children should be educated about what is safe to post on the internet. Personal information in the wrong hands can lead to devastating things.

Ignorance is not bliss. If you don't know what you're doing on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Blogger, Tumblr, LiveJournal, or any site like that, you can get into trouble. Nowadays, people are not getting jobs because of what's posted on their Facebook page. Your Facebook page will make you or break you. It represents you. 


This book is amazing, and it's one of those books that makes people think. I HIGHLY recommend this book, and I think you should pass it along to everyone you know. I enjoyed this book immensely, and you will to! 

About the Author (taken from here):

Terri Blackstock hasn’t always written for the Lord. Just over a decade ago she was an award-winning secular novelist writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Silhouette. With thirty-two titles published and 3.5 million books in print, she found that she was miserable. The compromises she had made in her career had taken their toll on her spiritual life, and she yearned to renew her relationship with Christ.

After much soul-searching and wrestling with God, she finally told the Lord that she would never write another thing that didn’t glorify Him. Thinking she might never be published again, she began planning ways to supplement her income, while she worked on her first idea for a Christian novel.

Because she enjoyed reading suspense novels, she tried weaving a faith message into a fast-paced page-turner with ordinary people in jeopardy. When Christian publishers expressed great interest, she realized that a secondary job would not be necessary. God was paving the way for her to enter the Christian publishing world.

Since that time, she’s sold 2 million Christian novels. She has over thirty Christian titles, many of which have been number one best-sellers. Her latest book, True Light, reached number one on the Top 50 of all Christian books the first full month it was in stores. Night Light was the winner of the 2007 Retailer’s Choice Award for General Fiction. Both books are part of her popular Restoration Series which began with Last Light. Other reader favorites include her Cape Refuge Series, her Newpointe 911 Series, her SunCoast Chronicles Series and her “Seasons” books written with co-author Beverly LaHaye.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

Other books by the author:

Book Trailer:

Review - Beyond the Dead Forest by Steve Groll

Beyond the Dead Forest: The Bizarre Adventures of Carter and Kat

By: Steve Groll

ISBN: 978-1-61566-436-8

Published by: Tate Publishing

Released on May 4, 2010

420 Pages

Back Cover (Description from Amazon):

It just appeared one day out of nowhere--a dead forest that the partners had never seen before. Carter and Kat think they know every tree, river, and rock within five miles of their homes, but this section of wood, completely devoid of life, was not supposed to exist. Stepping through a doorway into a bizarre world filled with darkness, terror, and death, they embark on a quest to discover the greatest treasure of all. Aided by a strange old man they called the Guardian, and armed with spiritual weapons, their wits, and a growing arsenal of wisdom, they battle against forces of darkness that are determined to destroy them. Hitch a wild ride with the arrogant Mr. Stewborn with a raving madman in hot pursuit. Come stay awhile in the inescapable People Rule Inn and experience a place where nightmares are real. Travel through the depressing Valley of Shadows, and meet dark creatures you have never imagined. Join Carter and Kat as they venture Beyond the Dead Forest and discover, with our heroes, the unsurpassable riches of wisdom that can empower you to change your life and your world.

 Review:

This story is unlike any I have ever read before. I feel like if I had known Steve Groll, it would have been a whole lot of parables manipulated into this plot. Kat and Carter get into the weirdest, most imaginative, and craziest situations that I couldn't have possibly thought up. In every situation there is a lesson  to be learned, without fail.

Carter and Kat are unlike any children I know, but I guess that's why they embark on this journey. They are constantly tested, tempted to go down the wrong paths, and no one was who them seemed to be. It was a tough journey. I honestly don't know if I could have gone through it when I was their age. These children act a whole lot older than they actually are, I would have liked to see them as teenagers, rather than as children. It would have been a tad bit more believable.

There are a lot of secrets hidden in the pages of this book, in people's names, names of hotels and even in the locations themselves.  I felt like I was watching a TV show, I could see myself seated on the couch every week waiting for the next episode of Beyond The Dead Forest. I think this should be made into a TV show, it would be phenomenal.

The book is a little hard to get into at first, but give it a couple chapters and you'll be hooked. I learned along with the characters in this book. I learned to be a better person and how to appreciate people around me. The way the author wrote this book had me feeling for the side characters, even if the people you are cheering for are just in the chapter and you never here from them again. It was a little heart-breaking--I wanted the character to stay but alas I knew it was good-bye until another interesting character appeared on the scene.

The cover of this book didn't draw me in at all, I was kind of turned off by all the black trees. The dragon on the front, when I first saw it I thought it was a bat. I don't think that the cover is a very good representative of this book, so don't judge this book by the cover. Make sure that you grab this one right off the shelf because it's definitely worth the read! I can't wait to read more books written by Steve Groll, when you finish reading this book I know you'll feel the same! :)

About the Author(taken from here):

Author of the award winning Ebook Visual Illustrations, Steve Groll, has written and published his first novel "Beyond the Dead Forest: The Bizarre Adventures of Carter and Kat." Groll has worked with children and families for over 40 years. Steve's goal is to write suspenseful adventures that take place in strange worlds and that are both intriguing and profound. Though his novel is geared to older children and younger youth, many adults enjoy the excitement, and wonder at the wisdom found in his uniquely dark, tense, and personally challenging novel.


Steve Groll is currently the children’s pastor at First Southern Baptist, Palm Springs, CA. Over the years, he has had a special calling and love of working with children. He has served as camp pastor, guest speaker at children’s retreats, led children’s revivals, and taught, trained, and administered all ages in the area of Christian education.


Book Trailer:

Beside Still Waters April, 2011

Tricia Goyer has a new book coming out!

Book Description: 
Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she's ever known.When Marianna's family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.As Marianna struggles to find "home", she also encounters God in intimate ways.

Here's an interview with Tricia Goyer:

I hope you guys check out this book, and if those two things were tantalizing enough, here is the book trailer!



I hope this books makes it to your TBR list! It has definitely made mine! :)

"One Man Disney Movie" Nick Pitera Disney Medley Music Video

Just thought I'd brighten you're day with an amazing video. ;) Have a fantastic Tuesday! :D

Enter This AMAZING New Contest!!

Something to Brighten Your Thursday.

I'm having kind of a blah Thursday, with back pain and just exhausted from having a teething baby. My friend sent me this video, and I figured I'd share it with you!

Enjoy! May this bring a smile to your face!!

Moms: Who Am I Now?

I haven't been updating my blog for awhile now, because I'm still adjusting to this whole being-a-new-single-mom-deal. I've been spending enourmous amounts of time with my little boy, doing the grocery shopping for my household and cleaning around the house. I haven't had much time for my blog, but once my son can be on his own without my constant attention (he's also sick right now. poor thing. needs me even more. haha) I'll be able to update this regularly. I have so many posts lined up, I just have to get them finished.

I have a few minutes right now, while my son is sleeping and I just got my Publix Baby Club newsletter in the mail! They have a really cool article in here titled, What Every Mom Needs, Moms ask: Who am i, now? They have a jump-start thinking list and I figured I could fill it out on here. If you'd like to fill this out yourself, go ahead! We do enjoy being mothers, but we need to find an identity that goes past our part of "mother" and reminds us of who we used to be and who we still are, in addition to "mother." (paraphrase from the article)

1. Three adjectives that describe me are....
Charismatic, Clumsy, Caring.

2. My greatest strengths are....
I will do anything for my family/friends. I am very devoted.

3. My most obvious weaknesses are....
Sometimes I care too much, and it gets me hurt or in trouble in the long run.

4. What I want most in the world is....
For my son to have the best possible life that I can over, if not more.

5. If given the gift of a day with no responsibilities, I would....
sleep. in a really nice feathery amazingly comfortable bed.

6. If I received an "outstanding award" in 10 years, it would be for....
Couponing. :P I wanna get better at it! Either couponing or being Bray-Bray's mom. Haha. Can you get an award for that?

7. The one thing I can do this week that will help me to get that award is....
Practice my couponing skills! Looking at the all the ads, finding the best places to buy things for the lowest amount of money. That's what I wanna do!

Well, I hope you guys like this and you fill it out for yourself!

Get LOADS of free stuff. :)

While I was pregnant with my son, I was online all the time. I had found how to enter giveaways, and get free things online and I was ALL over it. :) So here is my list of ways to get things FOR FREE. 

Free Samples:
There are plenty of ways to get free samples.


Through social networking sites. If you have a product you enjoy, find them on facebook or twitter. Companies usually have something to give you when you like their page, be it a coupon or a sample of their product. If they don't have this when you like their page, they can have a giveaway for the first people to comment and things like that. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities like this. They arise often, but they go away very fast.


Another way to get free samples is from a retailer's website. One example of this is Walmart. They usually always have free samples from an assortment of companies. Sam's and Costco are two other store websites that have been known to have samples in the past. 


All You (magazine) has a website and every day they post FREE samples. If you subscribe to them by e-mail, every day you will be greeted with "Todays' All You Free Sample!" 


P&G Brand Sampler is a great program to sign up for. You can get a new sample package (I think) every 4-6 weeks?


A reason that it's good to request these free samples, is because you usually get can coupons to buy the product with. So when that product goes on sale, you can use your coupon and get the product that you LOVE at a fraction of the price!
If you don't have the time to keep up with the websites and the social networking sites, a good way to stay up on the samples is through blogs that keep track of these things FOR you. :) Here are a few that I follow that I HIGHLY recommend. 

• Who Said Nothing In Life Is Free?
• It's All Free Online
• Sweet Deals 4 Moms
• Common Sense with Money

These blogs are updated constantly. (Several times a day) I follow them through Google Reader, and my reader is constantly filled with free samples. They usually have how many are left, when the sample is shutting down, or if it is already out. They save you a LOT of time and get you right to the sample! They also follow the social networking sites, and let you know when there will be a giveaway. Follow them! They are the best! :D

If you have babies/young children:

Planning Family is a great website to get free stuff! When you sign up they have you go through a list of things you can sign up for. Now you can go to each individual website and sign up for any deals you don't sign up for through Planning Family. BUT the great thing about Planning Family is the e-mails! There are companies that will offer products to you FOR FREE (well, you usually pay shipping but that's like $3-$4 bucks for a $30-$45 product.) I have gotten codes for several sites just because i'm a Planning Family member! I bought 20 nursing pads from Udder Covers for 10 dollars! I got 35 dollars off!! They also have several sweepstakes you can enter, and if you're pregnant you can get a day bag for free! 

Baby Center and The Bump are also great websites to join. You not only get great e-mails with informational articles you also can get discounts from their partners! These e-mails are great while your pregnant, or with your little one because they send you weekly e-mails about your babies progression! They have great articles and helpful tips! These websites also offer sweepstakes, and free things to get from their partners! 

Free Formula/Baby Food/Diapers:

The best way to get free formula and baby food is to sign up with the brand you like!

Sign up for Enfamil's Family Beginning program gets you $250 in FREE stuff! You get samples of formula, a bag and a ice pack for storing bottles in your diaper bag! 

Sign up for Similac Strong Mom's program and you get $329 this also comes with a bag, and their formula!

When you sign up for both of these programs, they will send you $5.00 vouchers in the mail monthly to use as a coupon to buy formula! Great ways to save money on a product you'll be spending a lot of money on! 

When you sign up for Beech Nut's newsletter, they will send you a newsletter customized to your babies age. Filled with coupons and articles relating to how your baby is getting older! 

When you sign up for Gerber (Top right hand corner of the screen), you can get up to $145 in savings. They will send you coupons. :) Also you can always enter your baby in their contest, and get your family and friends to vote for them! 

Publix Baby Club is an extremely helpful club to be apart of, if there is a Publix near you! Membership is free and it's easy to sign up! They send you a huge book Caring For Your Baby and Young Child (really it's huge. It covers up to Age FIVE. What mother doesn't need more books? I love it! :P) and every month you get a newsletter along with COUPONS to use are your local Publix! When you pair these STORE coupons with MANUFACTURER'S coupons you can get these items for a GREAT price! I highly recommend signing up for this program. It's extremely helpful!

Pampers and Huggies don't giveaway things for free, but (since you'll be buying so many of both/either brand) they have codes inside of every package of diapers/wipes you buy. When you get these codes and enter them online, they accumulate and you can use them for things on their website! You can enter sweepstakes, instant win, gift cards, memberships, and to win diapers for a year!! You can also get coupons from these websites! 

Another way to get samples of baby products is from you gynecologist/doctor (that you're seeing throughout your pregnancy) and when you make baby registry's! I signed up at Target and got this cute bag with samples of diapers, butt cream, wipes, lotion and coupons to use at Target! I also got a free bag of goodies from my gynecologist which included free samples of diapers, formula and prenatal vitamins. (which are great because you still need to take them while you're breastfeeding!) 

Giveaways:

This is a tough, but great way to win things for free! The only way to win these are through chance, but the more that you enter, the MORE likely you are to win! I have won books, nursing covers, and a nursing pump (I think thats it.. It's all I can think of right now) from blogs! The more you enter one contest, the more likely you are to win. Of course it's all chance, so you could enter 100 times and not win. BUT you could enter 100 times AND win. I would highly recommend having a twitter, Facebook, and good reads (for books) account before you enter giveaways. The more ways that you can spread the word, the more chances you have to win! There are SEVERAL mommy blogs, and companies are constantly giving them products to review and giveaway! Top Mommy Blogs has a list of almost all of the mommy blogs by rank! These are just for you to start following! If you're looking for blogs with content (like actual blogs with advice and stuff) as well as giveaways, here are a few for you to check out (in no particular order).

• Mama B
• Mom To Bed By 8
• Marvelous Mom Reviews
• Newly Wed, Newly Bred
• "Deal"lectable Mommies (I won my breastpump and a nursing cover from here! :D)

Those are all the tips I could thing of on how to get things for free, do you guys have any tips/ways to get things for free? I'm always looking for new ways! :) I'd love to hear from you!!

Review - Campbell's Chunky

With a new baby, who has time to sit down and make three meals a day for yourself? I certainly don't! I try and make sure that I eat three square meals a day, but sometimes I might miss a few meals. I make sure I take my vitamins, but whenever I skip a meal, I know that my breastmilk isn't as rich and my baby is crankier. 

I was walking around the grocery store, trying to find things that would help me make sure that I would have three meals a day. Things that I could just pop in the microwave and eat. Things that didn't require much preparation, but would be delicious and filling. I found Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup Bowl, and it is by far the most amazing thing ever.

Campbell products are sold in 120 countries around the globe. (from the Campbell Company website.) They are known for the "Mm Mmm Good" commercial slogan, and I know that they have always tasted great. I have to tell you though, these microwaveable bowls are amazing. All you have to do is remove the metal covering under the red plastic lid, replace the lid, and then pop it in the microwave! They are ready in two minutes and you have a great bowl of flavorful and filling soup!

I bought a few different kinds, but I have to say that the Chunky Chicken Noodle soup is my favorite. I also bought Healthy Choice because they had microwaveable bowls too. I just recently tried that, and it wasn't the same. I've been spoiled by Campbell's! Haha. Healthy Choice (Cheese Tortellini) was easy to make, but the flavor just wasn't there. I've had issues with Healthy Choice in the past (with their frozen meals) but I thought that maybe their soup would be different. I wasn't satisfied with this product at all. 

If you are looking for the "healthy choice" in soups, I would recommend Campbell's Healthy Request soups! They are low in fat, low in cholesterol and lower in sodium! They also taste great! They are available in Chunky, regular and the microwaveable bowls! 

I just wanted to review this product, because I've just recently fallen in love with it, and if anyone else is having the same issue as me. This line of products is something that will take the stress and worry away! 

 

*I didn't recieve any compensation for this product. I bought this from the grocery store, and wrote this review myself. All opinions are my own!

Babies. Teething. Stress.

Older picture, but you get the idea!

My son is almost four months old, and the treacherous teething has already started! At least, I'm pretty sure it's teething. 


Here is how our mornings typically go:
9:30-11:30 - wake up, talk, cuddle, get out of bed.
Change his diaper, put a new outfit on him, and then feed him.
12:00 - plays with toys, gets tired with one, put another in front of him. Usually lasts about an hour.
1:00 - 2:00 nap time.


But the past couple of days, around the time I try to feed him, he won't take me. (I'm breastfeeding. We haven't had any issues, he latched of perfectly, breast milk supply is great, so nothing to worry about on that end.) So we walk around, I try a couple more toys. Yesterday, I tried massaging his gums, and that seemed to be the issue, so I put some Baby Orajel on his teeth. But this didn't seem to work! I handed him over to my mom, and she was able to walk around and get him to go to sleep. After he woke up, (after about 30 minutes) I fed him, and he was a happier camper.


But about 4-5 hours later, the same routine repeated. His dad and I walked around until he fell asleep, he woke up, ate and then was a happier boy. 

See? Happy! :P

I'm a first time mom, and Brayden has typically been a very happy boy, very easy to please. Is this all because he's teething? Does anyone have any tips for soothing teething babies? I've tried to give him the cold teether's, but  he just gets angry. How long is this gonna last? I just want to be able to soothe my baby boy!!!


Anyways, just sharing how my days have been going. haha. Hope everyone else's are a LOT brighter!! :D

Flight of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer - Reviewed

Flight of Shadows
By: Sigmund Brouwer
Published By: WaterBrook Press
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7033-6
Pages: 309 Pages
Received from WaterBrook Press through their Blogging For Books Program.


Back Cover: 

Her genetic secret could change humanity forever. 

Her DNA grants her the ultimate power.  

But all she wants is to disappear. 

Looming buildings rise into the sky of a near-future America, shadowing the desperate poverty of the soovie parks, death doctors, and fear bombs. In this world of walled cities, where status matters most, Caitlyn Brown is desperate to remain invisible, wrongly believing what she needs to hide is the deformity on her back. The powerful want her for so much more.   She’s forced to take flight again, relying on the help of Razor, a street-smart illusionist she can’t trust. Her only hope is to reach friends already tracked by government.   With a twisted bounty hunter in full pursuit, she and Razor begin to learn the unthinkable about her past and the unique gifts of her DNA. It leads Caitlyn to a choice between the two men who love her, and whether to keep her freedom or sacrifice herself to change human destiny.   In this lightning-fast chase through an all-too-plausible future, best-selling author Sigmund  Brouwer is at his best.  Flight of Shadows is a terrifying ride into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society.


My Review: 
When I first read the back cover of this book, it sounded REALLY interesting. I liked how the whole, "her genetic secret could change humanity forever." It made me think about the missing link. That this girl was the missing link! I love science fiction, but I don't like it when I have to understand the science aspect of it. The science fiction that helps me understand the science aspect, rather than assuming I do, is that kind I enjoy reading. Sadly, this book didn't help me do that. I honestly couldn't get past the second chapter. I tried so long to read this book, but I just couldn't finish it. It didn't grab me in with the prologue and I was just continually bored with it. The first chapter was good, the part that was in Caitlyn's perspective, but right after it went into a guy's perspective. This guy was in a sewer and he was eating rats and sucking out all their blood for survival. It's just not something I want to read about. I know several people enjoyed this book, and I think that's awesome. This book just wasn't my cup of tea. 


You can read more positive reviews here!


About the Author(from the back of the book):
Sigmund Brouwer is the best-selling author of Broken Angel and eighteen other novels, with close to three million books in print. He promotes literacy by giving writing workshops in schools from the Arctic Circle to inner city Los Angeles. Sigmund is married to recording artist Cindy Morgan, has two young daughters, and they split their time between Nashville and red Deer, Alberta.


Authors Website


More Literature from the Author:

Across The Universe by Beth Revis

(photo credit to http://www.novelthoughtsblog.com/)

Across The Universe
By: Beth Revis
Published by: Penguin Teen
Release Date: TODAY! (1/11/11)
Buy it: Amazon, B&N, Borders.
(Use your Gift Cards you got for Christmas!!)

Synposis from GoodReads:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

I think this book sounds amazing, and it comes out today! I am going to be one of the first in line to buy this  book! I love Science Fiction books, so this one is definitely spot on with what I love to read. I've read so many great reviews about this book, if you haven't seen the book trailer for it, CHECK IT OUT!!!

Now, I have to say that the book trailer is kinda creepy for me. Especially since the first time I saw it, I hadn't read the description first.... Haha! After reading the description, and reading the first chapter (which you can read here) I cannot wait to read this book!!


Another thing I love about this author is that she has an interview that you can watch! I love it when author's get the readers involved, knowing that word of mouth is the best way to sell books!! If you want to watch the interview check it out here!!





I love that she came from a small town, and incorporated that into her book. With Science Fiction and Dystopian/Utopian novels, I love hearing what the authors motivation was behind the book. I think that it's fascinating to know what people think would make a "perfect society" and what technology we could have in the future.


Since today is the books release date there is something AWESOME that is going to happen! http://io9.com will be posting a 111pg review from 11:11 AM EST to 11:11 PM EST! I love the fact that everything that is happening has something to do with one! I love it when days relate to things like the binary code, or math problems(like on 3/6/09 it could be reduced to 1/2/03). :P I may just be a geek like that. Also the website http://www.acrosstheuniversebook.com is launching today! I've already gone and checked it out. The site contains a view of the ship, I absolutely love the purple! I spent about 30 mins on the site, just checking out the whole ship! Loved it! You should check it out too. It's a great website design!!


For all the inside scoop of things hapenning with Across The Universe, like their Facebook Fan Page!


Here are some links to get your mind filled with more by Beth Revis!!


Beth Revis’ author website, blog and Twitter:

• Website: http://www.bethrevis.com/
• Blog: http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bethrevis

Here are some links about the publisher of this  book! :D

Penguin Teen website, Twitter, and Facebook:

• Website: http://www.penguin.com/teen
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/penguinteen
• Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/penguinteenbooks