Halloween Stories for Children

With the weather in our area being really wet we may end up cutting Trick-or-Treating a bit short this year and cozy up on the couch with hot chocolate and some cute Halloween stories for the kids. I have taken the night off work so I am sure hubby and I will pop in a horror movie after the kids go to bed.

Here are three cute Halloween stories for young children.

Smelly Ghost by Isabel Atherton

In Spooky Town, there live many ghosts, ghouls, skeletons, and scary creatures. However, none of these creepy characters wants to play with a particular ghost—Smelly Ghost. The reason is simple: Smelly Ghost only consumes frightening junk food. He devours bone chips, chocolate toes, and eyeball pizza. Sadly, these foods make his tummy growl and yell—keeping everyone far, far away. Devastated, Smelly Ghost wonders why no one wants to be his friend.

One day, Janice the mummy-cleaner suggests to Smelly Ghost that perhaps he try eating some creepy vegetables and spine-chilling fruit. What does he have to lose? He eagerly begins to munch on ghoul carrots and to nibble on slime bananas. And in the process, Smelly Ghost starts to feel more energetic and even floats higher and faster. Slowly but surely, the other Spooky Town inhabitants creep back toward Smelly Ghost, and he is soon playing with them every day. Smelly Ghost is an entertaining book that also encourages children to eat healthy, promoting not only a nutritious diet but also a healthy body and mind.

Our Thoughts: Both the kids enjoyed this book and we had some fun talks after reading Smelly Ghost about eating the right foods to make you feel good and healthy. It is a great book for young children to talk about limiting how much candy they eat and not to forget to eat their Creepy veggies and spine-chilling fruit. 

Five Little Monkeys Trick-or-Treat by Eileen Christelow

Five excited little monkeys dress up for Halloween. They are going trick-or-treating with their favorite babysitter, Lulu. “Ghost, princess, goblin, banana, and alien,” Mama reminds her. “Don’t lose the rascals!” But soon those mischievous monkeys meet other costumed friends and decide to try “the best Halloween trick ever!” Will Lulu be fooled? Or will those five little rascals get tricked by their own monkey business?

Vibrant, silly, and perfect for reading aloud, this non-scary Halloween story is sure to delight fans of this best-selling series. Includes recipes for “eyeballs” and “worm juice” so kids and their grownups can make their own holiday “trick” treats at home.
 
Our Thoughts: The kids LOVE the Five Little Monkeys series and will read them over and over again. They were really excited to see this in our Halloween pile and we have read it a bunch of times already. It is a great little tale of monkey business and had the kids laughing out loud while listening to the story. My son even took the book to read to himself and didn't have any issues as a grade 2 reader.

Ollie's Halloween by Oliver Dunrea (Board Book)

Goslings are on the prowl in this holiday board book from the popular Gossie & Friends series! While Gossie, Gertie, Peedie, and BooBoo are tricking and treating, Ollie is thinking about how sharing is better than scaring. With shiny foil on the cover, a gentle Halloween story, and Olivier Dunrea's signature adorable artwork, this book is the perfect one to share with the littlest trick-or-treaters this October!



You can purchase all these great titles and many more at Thomas Allen & Sons Ltd website. 



~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn on behalf of Thomas Allen & Sons Ltd. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Where did all the socks go?

When I was a teen I used to get socks with patterns, funky colors, and print on them just because I really liked them. Now I love those socks as they are easier to match. I know a lot of people look at me funny and say how hard is it to match white socks. Well it can be hard if you have a bit obsessive compulsive disorder. If the socks are not the same ones you wore at the same time then they likely have stains that are not similar or are not the same shade of white. This bugs me. There I said it.

As for when I had children I bought colored socks or ones with colored heels and toes. This I thought would be simple but of course I never thought about the fact that these socks are soooo tiny that they are very easy to get lost in transition to the wash, dryer or anywhere for that matter.

When my daughter was old enough to take off her socks this turned into a new ball game of sock issues for myself. Again this really bugs me when I am pairing socks and can't find have the matches. "A" will take her socks off anywhere and I mean anywhere! I have had socks found in our van, my purse (because she would take them off on walks or at places), all over the house, behind/under her bed, on the couch, in my room, anywhere they can drop they have been found. I have a pile of unmatched socks and honestly we have checked everywhere for the matches and can't seem to find them.

I really love when A will come to me and say "Mommy, I have NO socks!" well my reply is usually like this "if you would take them off and put them in the laundry basket where they are SUPPOSE to go, then mommy would be able to match socks and you would have socks to wear" HA well that is usually answered with "but I doooooo".

How do you keep your children's socks matched? Is there a trick to not losing socks?


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Get Fit ~ Week 6 & 7 Not a good couple of weeks

Source: Microsoft clip art

Sorry for the lack of a Get Fit post last week. I was super sick with a head cold and didn't do much blogging. I tried but my head was way to cloudy with the cold. My walking slowed down as I found it really hard to give it my all when my head was stuffed and aching. I did the following for walks.

Oct 15th 6.98km & 1.80km
Oct 16th 4.59km
Oct 18th 4.85km
For a total of 18.22km

Last Friday I felt too tired to post and decided I would write my post early in the am after a goodnight sleep. Well just before 6am I got woken by a little girl getting sick to her stomach. This was the worst day every I was told by her after she was sick and asked if we are still going shopping. So finally the flu bug has hit our house. Little girl was down and out for the count on Saturday but bounced back nicely on Sunday, ready to party! I really wish I had that kind of energy sometimes.

Everyone seemed great Sunday and Monday. I went for my awesome walk and then headed into the city to fill in some forms for work and spend sometime with my mom shopping. I went into work that night feeling fine just a little tired as my evening sleep wasn't that great. But by Tuesday afternoon when I got up I felt like a Mack truck had hit me. I felt awful! I decided it was best to call in and stay home as I wasn't even sure I could drive the hour to work. I went to bed by 8pm that night and was sleeping really well until 3am when our son got up sick. Oh no. So my dear hubby got up with P and helped him get all cleaned up and back to bed. Wednesday I had to convince P that he needed to stay home so he wasn't sick anymore and didn't get anyone sick. Little girl got herself all ready for school no fight nothing. Funny how that worked out. My mom was a saint and called to see how I was and if I needed anything and offered to take Little girl to the bus. I fell back asleep and my mom stayed with P until I woke around noon! I really was hit hard with this bug. My mommy is wonderful! She cleaned up my kitchen and took the dog outside for me. She decided to leave me sleeping and watch a movie with P who was laying around either on the couch or floor still not feeling his best. Sometimes we still need our mommy.

The kids seem fine now and I am still trying to get over whatever it is that we have picked up. I felt much better this morning when I woke that I decided Miss Molly and I needed to get out and take a walk. I wasn't in the mood to push to hard but the goal was to get at least 4.5km even if it took an hour and a half. It is sure cold out there today and by the hour it took for our 4.82km I was frozen. Winter is on its way here in Canada. Pulling out all the winter gear this weekend for sure. 

Here are my km for the week:

Oct 21st 4.72km in 46:08 mins! That is an average of 9:46mins/km.
Oct 25th 4.82km. Total of 9.54km this week.

Today's walk was much slower for a couple reasons - I am still getting better and my stomach still isn't 100% and we ran into another dog walker that we have befriended. This lady also has a basset/beagle mix and he is 6 months older than Miss Molly. They just love walking together.

Next week I am hoping to incorporate a workout video - Hip Hop Abs to get my abs into better shape. 

How are you doing on your fitness journey? Have you been able to stay free of the cold & flu season so far?


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Keep Your Carpet Healthy & Beautiful With Proper Maintenance

Source: Nolie's Place

Let’s face it: If you’re a carpet owner, there’s quite a bit of work involved with keeping your floor clean and stain free! If you hope to maintain your carpet and keep it healthy for years to come, follow these helpful carpet cleaning tips.

1.  Vacuum on a regular basis. This prevents every day dirt and grime from setting into your carpet.

2.  Consider placing area rugs in higher traffic areas.

3.  Use a specialized cleaner to treat any spills or stains right when they occur. If spills are a normal occurrence for you, consider looking into a stain resistant carpet, such as a Stainmaster carpet. Visit a local Flooring America to find out more about a Stainmaster carpet.

4.  Shampoo your carpets every few months to get rid of soil that could be trapped deep within the fibers.

5.  Apply protective solutions to your carpet that can help reduce the severity of a stain.

6.  If you do spill, blot and try to soak up as much of the liquid on the carpet as you can before it sinks into the carpet pad.

7.  Never pour water on a stain, this will only have the stain sink deeper into the carpet and make the stain worse in the long term.)


~*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Ghost of Lost Eagle Book Review

Ghost of Lost Eagle (Sweetwater Canyon Series - Book 1)
Plot Summary (courtesy virtual tour press release)

Mason “Tuck” Tucker meets Sass Thornton when she lassos him and drags him from certain death in a flashflood. She dubs him “dumbass” for entering a box canyon during a rainstorm. This label he will hear many times as she struggles against her unwanted attraction to him.

Sass’s father, Phil, owns the cattle ranch that she runs with an iron fist. Her father has been keeping two important secrets from her; one about her mother’s murderer, the other about a killer in his bunkhouse who has romantic interests in the attractive young woman.

Phil hires Tuck, over his daughter’s strong objections, to run the bunkhouse and control growing racial tension between white cowhands and Mexican vaqueros. The young man surprises Phil with his easy, yet tough and effective, management style. The ranch owner takes Tuck into his confidence, revealing the truth about a deadly gunman terrorizing the bunkhouse. He insists that Tuck deal with the threat without letting Sass know of the danger.
Throughout the book, Tuck is haunted by howls of a lone wolf, but only one other person can hear it. The wolf often accompanies life-like dreams of an old Indian ghost named Lost Eagle. The spirit medicine-man repeatedly warns him about a strange destiny he must soon face. When Tuck reveals the dreams to Sass, she cautions him to avoid the cave where the ghost of Lost Eagle is thought to haunt. Despite her distrust of the Native American phantom, the apparition saves Tuck by waking him when an assassin approaches. Lost Eagle prepares Tuck for his fate, foretelling that the young man will soon have to choose life or death between friends. His choice will result in the death of one.
Read what happens when Lost Eagle's ghost, the lone-wolf spirit-guide and Tuck's new found love, Sass, come together in a life and death struggle.

How does the murderer in the bunkhouse seek revenge against Sass and her father?
What happens when Phil's secrets are revealed to his daughter?
Will Tuck leave the woman he comes to love to save his aunt who raised him as the only mother he's ever known? Find the answers by reading the Ghost of Lost Eagle.  

About the Author 

Author Dean Sault lives in Northern California with his wife and her menagerie of pets. Every day for the past thirty-five years, he could not wait to shut down his insurance office, so he could spend time with his family, go fishing, or retreat into his private world of writing fictional places and people. 
In 2007, severe vertigo took away Sault’s beloved avocation of bass fishing and writing for Inside Line magazine. Sault refused to let vertigo stand in the way of his love of writing. He decided to dust off his stories and share his literary creations with the world.  He began by publishing his science fiction space opera, The Last Human War.

After twenty years of writing in the dark, Sault was ready to step out and share his work with the world! He says, “2013 will be the year my readers experience a diversity of genres I’ve kept hidden from the world. From sci-fi to western romance, some with paranormal elements, this will be an exciting year.” Sault brings his unique writing style to every story he creates. With crisp, fast-paced prose, he employs Hemingway-like simplicity as he weaves complex characters into fascinating worlds. Readers often comment that once begun, they cannot put his books down. “I learned this skill, believe it or not, from writing bass fishing articles and columns for Inside Line magazine during the time when I chased professional fishing and guiding,” Sault says. “In fact, many of the stories we are making available to readers today, found their beginnings in dusty motel rooms, late at night, while at distant bass tournaments.”

This breakout author shows promise to be one of the great writers of our time. From action-adventure to terror in his thrillers, his masterful handling of fast-paced prose compares with great writers like Tom Clancy and HG Wells. His western-romances share the strong pacing, but they slow at just the right moments to build touching love connections that tug at the readers’ heartstrings.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+

Review
I was skeptical for the first few chapters, but Ghost of Lost Eagle slowly drew me in with an engaging plotline. The female characters lacked depth, and the sex scenes, while titillating, were repetitive and unrealistic. On the other hand, the male characters were entertaining and relatable. Tuck, Manny, and Phil were sympathetic and interesting and the relationships between them deepened as the novel progressed. Ghost of Lost Eagle is a plot-driven novel that delivers action and adventure with a mystical twist.

Three out of five stars.

Buy it now:
Ghost of Lost Eagle on Amazon.com 

~ karyn

*This review was written by karyn pickles. I received the above e-book for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own. Follow me at Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!*

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Just Ella Book Blog Tour ~ Review & Giveaway

Tour Schedule

Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen

Book Summary: A Proper Romance Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of her curiosity are far more severe than she’d imagined. I watched in helpless horror as two guards hauled Gavin to his feet and dragged him from the room. My voice was frozen, unable to protest as another guard took hold of my arm, leading me upstairs. From the confines of my room, I stared into the darkness beyond my window, hoping to catch one more glimpse of Gavin. He was gone, and I wondered if he would have been better off if he had never met me. I write clean romance. Why? Because that’s what I love to read, but over the years I’ve discovered it’s quite a challenge to find good clean romance. I believe it’s a genre that many people are looking for and too few authors are writing. My first novel, Just Ella, took me many years to write because I wanted it to be more than just a cutesy love story. I wanted it to have depth, to feel genuine. Hopefully I succeeded, but you’ll have to be the judge.

Amazon Paperback * Amazon Kindle

Book Blast/Blog Tour Special

Grab your copy of Just Ella for just $4.99!

Praise for Just Ella
"I fell in love with this book. Treat yourself to something wonderful. You can't go wrong with Just Ella!" ~Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

"By far one of the best romance novels I've ever read. Pulls you in with great, likable characters and keeps you going with a sweet and exciting love story--plus a good plot to give it even more substance. Full of those tender moments you want to go back and read again, plus exciting moments, clever humor, and some suspense as well." ~Jana Miller

"Annette Larsen writes a love story that takes time, is complicated, and yet still sweeps you up in the romance (without the cheese, thank you). It's compelling and emotional and sweet and you will love every page." ~Kimi


About the Author: Annette K. Larsen

I was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff Arizona and St. Louis Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended college at Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children. I have Charlotte Bronte to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to sacrifice what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but it the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it. I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Review:
If you have been following my recent reviews you will know I just started reading regency type romances. I am not a history type girl but I was asked by one author to check out her clean romance and feel in love. Now I am on a new kick and have been finding some great clean romances that I am sure you will also love.

Just Ella is one of my new favorite books! This is a "Princess" book but didn't take you into the altered speak per say. This was a book about a young princess finding her own way in life and not being the typical "noble" type. The author did a wonderful job at getting me hooked from the beginning of the book with Ella. She is a vibrant, young lady who doesn't mind to get her feet wet or do a little work unlike most Princesses. She loves to read and would spend many hours in the families library but also she loves the family maze where see meets Gavin, *sigh*. Gavin is a commoner gardener. He and Ella become great friends and soon find themselves falling in love. The author moves through a huge time gap but I found this worked out wonderfully by flowing well and didn't bore. This is a wonderful love story, not cutesy but clean romance so that a young adult can read this and not feel embarrassed or overwhelmed with explicit language or love scenes. Real soul searching romance. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars!

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/5/13   Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Taco Pasta Bake Recipe

I decided to post a this picture to Instagram one night as I was sitting down to dinner and got a request about sharing the recipe. Recipe? huh? I didn't have one as I just through it all together as I went. So here is how this all came about......

A few weeks ago I was totally lost for what to make for dinner. I really need to get back into my Meal Planning. I looked around at what I had in the kitchen and freezer and decided I was going to make something with pasta and ground beef. Now other than that I had no idea what I wanted to make until I started thinking about what I wanted for veggies and that is where the Taco Pasta Bake came to life.

Taco Pasta Bake
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
2 cup spiral pasta or scooby doo pasta
1 cup of salsa (we used medium), you could also substitute with canned diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn
1 Tbsp Chili or Taco seasoning (you can add more if you like a spicy chili taste)
1 cup shredded cheese (you can add more to your liking, I think I did. I just made sure it was well covered)
1 can black beans 19oz/540ml (drained and rinsed well)
1 lb. ground beef browned and drained

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add pasta. Cook for 8 minutes. You don't want to over cook it as it will go into the oven to bake. 
2. While your pasta is cooking brown your ground beef in a frying pan until brown and drain grease.
3. Preheat oven to 350F 
4. Drain pasta and add to big mixing bowl
5. Add ground beef, salsa, corn, chili powder, black beans and mix well.
6. Pour into a casserole dish - mine was a 8x11.5
7. Cover with shredded cheese. 
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Here is where you can decide how long you want to bake as you want to warm your casserole and melt the cheese. 
9. Enjoy! Watch your children and hubby ask for seconds.

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Maybe I should have just went back to bed yesterday!

Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to crawl back into bed and start the day all over again? I had one of those days yesterday. Actually it started Monday night. I did some laundry Monday after getting up from a nap (worked Sunday night). The sheets dried nice and I threw in our big blanket. This usually takes two rounds in the dryer as it is so big but it gets dried. My husband brought the blanket up for bed and threw it on the bed where I was already. It was still really damp. I thought that was weird but I didn't worry as it wasn't super wet and it would dry.

When I woke up Tuesday I realized I finally came down with that nasty head cold that has been going around. Great! I can't get sick right now. I had avoided it for almost 3 weeks. Hubby had it the week before I left for Blissdom Canada and I managed to not get it. Oh well it has finally found me. Now to work on getting better before the end of the month.

After having a coffee I decided to start a load of laundry and check out the dryer. I turned the knob and pushed the button to start the machine and nothing happened. I tried again, still nothing. Hmm, I guess this is dryer #2 that has died in 6 years. I will be hanging clothes outside for awhile until we figure out what we want to get. I am happy we don't have the white stuff on the ground yet.

I did get in a nice walk with Miss Molly after we got the kids on the bus. Yesterday we did a 6.98km walk in the morning and it felt great to get out and clear my head. 

Just before lunch I feed the animals and checked in on our rabbit, Preston who is 9 and 1/2 years old. He didn't look good at all so I pulled him out to sit with me. He did not stay with me longer than 15 minutes after I picked him up. This was really hard on myself as I have had him for what seems like forever! Especially for a bunny. He was a beautiful chinchilla color New Zealand Giant and the friendliest bunny I have ever known. He wasn't a biter and would actually lick and suck on your finger.
He loved to hang out and hop around the house and play with the cats. I had to explain that Preston passed away to the kids when they arrived home and the tears started all over again. Both of the kids are very attached to all our pets and A has been looking after feeding Preston for awhile now. She took it pretty hard and wants to get a stuffy that looks just like him. He was suppose to live forever she said. P was upset and shed his tears but was able to understand that Preston lived a long and happy life. He is with Poppa up in Heaven and will be happy and healthy there.

After having such a rough morning I decided that a bucket of Chinese food from the place near us was in order. I took the short walk over and spent all of $5.65 on this very tasty lunch. It didn't make my day better but it did give me a full belly and some comfort food. 

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Spooktacular Book Giveaway Hop - Lily Noble & Actual Magic (#1) (US/CAN)

What better way to gear up for Halloween than with a fabulous Spooktacular Book Giveaway Hop!

Book Summary: 
After the collision claimed her mother's life and left her with a memory full of holes, Lilly Noble is sent away to boarding school on the gloomy island of Raven's Landing, Maine. Though feeling exiled and abandoned by her father, she is determined to fill in the blanks the accident left in her mind. When she meets the hypnotically charming and strangely intense Murosky Skaggs, his unnatural curiosity and careful attentions toward her raise her suspicions. His stories don't add up. 

Lilly's search for the truth beneath his lies causes her life to take a thrilling and terrifying twist. What she doesn't realize is the closer she gets to revealing his dark secret, the closer she comes to regaining her memory and unmasking her mother's murderer. But something else, something far more sinister is lurking just off the coast. It's been there, waiting for her. Lilly's quest for answers puts her and those around her in mortal danger, and once she starts down that path, there is no turning away from her destiny, if she can survive.

Purchase a copy on Kindle or paperback 

About the Author:  
On July 4, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Deborah McTiernan was born into a family of avid readers. At the age of 4, she spent hours in her grandmother’s attic typing on the portable, baby-blue Smith-Corona typewriter she’d discovered in an old steamer trunk. While pretending to write exciting adventures, the keys of that typewriter ignited her imagination.

Her family transferred from the East Coast to the Midwest. They eventually left the city and settled in the rural community of Orion, Illinois (thinly disguised as Archer’s Bow, Illinois in her story, “Lilly Noble & Actual Magic”). While living in Orion, Deborah became a life long fan of fairy-tales, myth, and magic. Summers off from school gave her plenty of time to haunt the town library, read her favorite stories on the front porch, and hone her skills as a storyteller.

Her story, “Lilly Noble & Actual Magic” is a pleasant twist to the beloved and enduring fairy-tale genre, and in the hands of this author, this might just be the beginning.

Deborah lives in Arizona. 

Connect: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Review: coming soon................

Follow the rest of the Spooktacular Book Giveaway Tour to enter more great giveaways. Also don't forget to win a Kobo Aura or other great e-books on my site as well!

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~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Kobo Aura takes reading to a whole new level ~ Review & Giveaway!

Just over a year ago I started reading e-books. I wasn't too sure about not having the physical book in my hands. There really is just something about holding and smelling a book, turning the pages and more but at the same time they are bulky, hard to hold while reading in bed, can be super heavy depending on the book especially for someone with carpal tunnel and the biggest one is how many can you fit in your purse at one time?

Sometimes we start one book and then decided we are not in the book for that genre today and want to start another or the one that I hate the most is I have 10-20 pages left but I don't want to carry around two books. E-reading has opened up a whole new world for readers. I have also found so many great indie authors I wouldn't have read if I wasn't using an e-reader or app.

Recently Kobo released their new e-reader, the Kobo Aura. At very first glance what I see is a mix between their glo and mini. I love the idea of the back light to be able to read when it is dark, or in low light settings, reading in bed when hubby is asleep or even reading on the couch beside him while he is watching tv. This doesn't bother him and I can still see what I am reading. Our house is horrible for lighting.

Some of the other great features of the new Kobo Aura are the following:

• less than 8.5oz!
• 6.91 x 5.05 x 0.46 in
• 4 GB storage with option to expand up to 32 GB with a Micro SD card ~ Lots and lots of books! 
• battery life is 2 months based on 30 minutes of reading a day. I can usually read a few books before having to recharge depending on the size of the books and have fast I read them.
• Supports many file types ~ eBooks: EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
  Images: JPEG, GIF, PNG, and TIFF
  Text: TXT, HTML, XHTML, and RTF
  Comic Books: CBZ and CBR
• Wi-Fi 
• Tons of fonts and sizes ~ choice of 10 font styles, 24 font sizes, and adjustable font sharpness and weight. This is awesome especially for people with eye sight problems. 
• The also offer an experimental browser, a dictionary, a couple games. 

I can't stop raving about how light this reader is, I have found reading in bed more enjoyable. As I am a lefty I find page turning hard sometimes but with the Kobo Aura I can set my page turn for the left side of the reader and it works like a charm. It is super easy to hold with one hand. At first it did take some getting used to as it is very light. Almost feels like a couple sheets of paper in my hand than an actual reader. The light can be adjusted or turned right off. This is a great feature. I find reading outside very easy on the eyes, no strain or glare.

They really have made these lil readers so people can enjoy a more personal experience with the option of changing the light, font, page turning, spacing and so much more. They have also added personal milestones and badges you can earn while doing what you love ~ reading! Share your updates on Facebook when you reach a new achievement.

What is one of your favorite books or genre? Don't forget to use the hashtag #KoboRdrs to join the Twitter conversation.

Want to Win a Kobo Aura for yourself or friend? Enter the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US & Canada and will be open until October 31st at 11:59pm est. 
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~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn on behave of Kobo. I received the above product for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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From Frights to Flaws ~ Author Interview

Age group: middle school 

Book Summary:

Twelve-year-old Alyssa McCarthy can no longer stand the toughness of her uncle and wants a better life. But one day she discovers not only the existence of magic, but also a villain hunting her down. The villain uses magic and magical technology to kidnap Alyssa to the Fiji Islands. As much as she wants to go home, she has to face some dangerous challenges first. Not only that, the villain himself must also be defeated. Can Alyssa succeed, even with the help of her mentors?

Buy on Amazon

Sunayna Prasad has been writing stories for over thirteen years, starting at the age of six. Now nineteen, she will start her junior year of college this fall, and will study accessory design as well as continue to write for children. Aside from that, Sunayna also likes to cook, watch movies, and draw. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her family.

Follow the author on FaceBook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Interview with Sunayna:

1. Tell us about your latest book.

A girl is unhappy with her life. An evil sorcerer then kidnaps her to the Fiji Islands, and she can’t leave until she faces certain challenges.

2. Where did the idea for the book come from?

Before I wrote this novel, I wrote a sloppy one called Alyssa’s African Adventures. I was disappointed by the reactions, so I removed it from the market as soon as I turned eighteen. But that was how I got inspired to write this novel. A lot of the elements in the novel were also inspired by the Harry Potter series.

3. What was your favorite book growing up, and why?

I had a lot of favorite books, but what I really enjoyed reading was Harry Potter.

4. How did you begin writing?

I have been creative ever since I was around five or six. I used to write picture books and occasionally short stories. The first novel I’ve written happened in third grade.

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions about your book and writing. 

 

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Spell Check & Spell Struck by Ariella Moon - Book Review and Giveaway

Spell Check - Book 1: The Teen Wytche Saga

Synopsis

Evie is in real trouble – Besides the usual teenage issues, she is being bullied by the Smash Heads, struggling with math, and mourning the death of her famous photojournalist father in Afghanistan. If she can’t overcome her fear of picking up her camera, she will fail yearbook, and on top of that, her best friend Parvani, who already has it all, has talked her into buying a spellbook to cast a love spell on her crush, Jordan – secretly Evie’s crush, too. Much to her surprise, the paperback copy of Teen Wytche that she buys at the second-hand book store mysteriously transforms into an ancient leatherbound grimoire. 

There is real magick in the air that will transform everyone it touches – but will it be for good or evil?

Spell Struck - Book 2: The Teen Wytche Saga

Synopsis

Lately, Sarah Miller has been feeling a lot better about things. Her new friend Evie has seen through her “scary Goth girl” glamour and together they put a stop to Parvani’s disastrous love spell. She is magically repairing the ancient grimoire that she hopes holds the secret to curing her sister Amy’s depression. And most exciting of all, there is real magick in the air when she meets the new boy at school, Aidan. But unbeknownst to her,
Aidan’s mysterious past and dangerous Gypsy family harbour a sinister connection with the Grey Grimoire that could destroy everything...for everyone.

About the Author

After a childhood spent searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia, AriellaMoon grew up to become an author and shaman. Extreme math anxiety, and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred Ariella’s teen years. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. While writing about magic, friendship, and love, Ariella lives a nearly normal life with her extraordinary daughter, shamelessly spoiled dog, and an enormous dragon.

Follow Ariella at her blog and on Facebook and Pinterest.

Review:

The Teen Wytche Saga is a gripping series of books that combine otherworldly magick with the everyday struggles of growing up a teenager in America. Ariella Moon draws on her own high school experiences to make Spell Check and Spell Struck ultimately believable even as they venture into the realm of the extraordinary, and Moon’s own experience as a shaman is evident in the well-researched descriptions of Wiccan rites and spell-casting.

Spell Check, with its realistic depiction of high school life and complicated love triangle as the backdrop for Evie’s unexpected exploration of the realm of magick, is an enjoyable if slightly predictable read that appeals to the long-lost angst-filled teenaged Goth inside me.

The sequel, Spell Struck brings something else entirely: Unexpected plot twists at every turn of the page grab you and hold on from start to finish. Desperate to learn the mystery of Nico/Aidan’s past and the secrets of the Grey Grimoire, I read Spell Struck from cover to cover in one sitting. The emotional ups and downs tug at your heart and the gripping climax and resolution leave you breathless.

If Spell Check is a comfortable afternoon cruise around town, Spell Struck is mind-blowing rollercoaster ride that you don’t want to miss, and both are well worth reading.

Buy them now:
Spell Check is available at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and Astrea Press
Spell Struck is available at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, and Astrea Press

~ karyn

*This review was written by karyn pickles. I received the above e-books for the purposes of review. All opinions are my own. Follow me at Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!*

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Get Fit ~ Week 5

Since I have been side lined for my Couch to 5km I have been walking up a storm. Last weekend I attended Blissdom Canada with my fellow bloggers and didn't get as much power walking as I wanted to because well *hangs head* my roomie and I slept in on Saturday and Sunday. On Friday though we got up at 6:30am to head down to the hotels fitness room and went for our power walk. We spent 30 minutes on the treadmill power walking. Better than nothing, right? I also am very proud that I didn't consume tons of liquid calories.. ok maybe tons of my calories were from the Tim Hortons coffee but I do take my coffee with just milk.

This past week I have really tried to push myself to increase the distance that Molly and I walk daily.

Monday - 4.78k
Tuesday - 5.87k & 4.75k
Wednesday - 5.96k 
Thursday - 6.98k & 1.17k

The grand total this week is 29.51km and I still have today to get a good walk in. With the kids being home from school on a PA day I don't think I will get more than a 4 or 5km walk. I had this week off work which made it easy to walk everyday when the kids went to school. Over the next couple weeks I am going to get myself into a routine. The days I am not working are easy to get out for a walk, it is the days I need to come home and sleep while the kids are at school that are the hard days. Maybe I can see if I can get a 30 minute walk in before crashing into bed.

This week the weather has been amazing for October in Ontario Canada. Wednesday we had a really foggy morning and I got this photos in this post with my iPhone.

I weighed Molly at home this week and it looks like she may have lost 3 lbs already! This is great but we are having some troubles with cutting her food intake. She doesn't like to not eat 3 cups of food a day. We have tried to cut down to 2 cups over the day and she has been really annoying by the evening. We decided to go back up to 2 1/2 cups and we will get rid of the 1/2 a cup slower.

What did you do this week to help in your Get Fit journey?


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Newly Released Book ~ Embrace (Evolve Series #2) by S.E Hall

Book Summary: 

Evan Allen is a handsome, athletic, southern gentleman who now attends Georgia Southern University for no good reason.

After what he expected to be the romantic gesture of the century, Evan is looking at no friends, a year of ineligibility on the football team, and no girl.

He's starting over alone and doesn't know quite how to proceed. Certain members of The Crew refuse to let him face things by himself, taking him under their wing, and it doesn't take the ladies long to notice him, either.

Sometimes life doesn't go as you had planned. Sometimes it goes better.

Embrace it.

Embrace, the second book in the Evolve Series by S.E. Hall, follows the characters from her debut New Adult romance, Emerge.

Purchase a copy on Amazon Kindle

About the Author: 

S.E.Hall resides in Arkansas with her husband of 17 years and 3 beautiful daughters. When not in the stands watching her ladies play softball, she enjoys reading YA and NA romance.

Connect: Goodreads| Twitter | Facebook  

Please keep an eye out for a review to come soon.


~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book series on ebooks in exchange for this post. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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Kiss Me in Paris by Kimberly Kinrade & Dmytry Karpov ~ Book Review

Title: Kiss Me in Paris

Authors: Kimberly Kinrade & Dmytry Karpov

Series: Deveuax #1 (standalone)

Publication: June 25th, 2013 by Daring Books

Category: New Adult (NA)

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Synopsis: 

When the city of love brings two lost souls together, only their darkest secrets can tear them apart.

Winter Deveaux tried love once. It didn't end well. Unable to open herself up to another heartbreak, she hides in her romance novels as she struggles to break out as a real author. She thinks Paris holds the answer to a new start, but when her nightmare follows her across the world, she's forced to face the darkness living like cancer inside her soul. If she doesn't, she might miss her chance to become the kind of writer she's always wanted to be. But more than that, she'll miss out on the greatest love she's ever known.

Cade Savage is heir to the largest ranching family in Texas. Part cowboy, part architect, Cade has his feet forever in two worlds. When he receives an acceptance letter from the school of his dreams, he must decide between family and destiny. But ghosts from his past still haunt him, and circumstances beyond his control may decide his fate.

When Winter and Cade meet, everything they believe about life, love and what it means to be happy is put to the test. 

Will the magic of Paris pull these two lost souls together? Or will their darkest secrets tear them apart?

Kiss Me in Paris is a standalone novel in the Deveuax series. Travel the world with the Deveaux sisters as they find love, and trouble, in all the right places.

About the Authors: 

Dmytry Karpov and Kimberly Kinrade are the husband and wife writing team behind the KISS ME series, Eye of Newt, Sunrise and Nightfall, Wanderlust, and The Fallen series.

Kimberly is the award-winning, bestselling author of the New Adult paranormal romance series The Seduced Saga, the YA paranormal thriller/romance The Forbidden Trilogy, and children's fantasy series The Three Lost Kids.

Dmytry writes fantasy—be it urban, dark or epic—is a musical composer, pianist, and designs books covers (exclusively for his wife's and their co-authored books).

They live with three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers and who are also showing a propensity for telling tall tales and using the written word to weave stories of wonder and magic. 

Find them together on Sunrise and Nightfall | Facebook |  

Connect with Kimberly: Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
Connect with Dmytry: Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

My Review: 

Winter has been told she shouldn't write romance and Cade has been told he should continue with the family business farming instead of becoming an architect. Both Winter and Cade want to follow their dreams and to do this they take a trip to Paris for a french class where they meet before even boarding the plane. Each one travels with extra baggage not wanting to tell anyone about it, hurtful baggage that is hard to share.

This is one of my all time favorite books by Kimberly Kinrade and now Dmytry Karpov. This was a well put together romance that included strength, courage and determination to follow their dreams and also to fall in love with each other. It is one of those books where you really just want to sit until you are finished. Really would it have been bad if I had let my kids fend for themselves as I got lost in Paris with Winter and Cade? Le sigh.. Such a magical story and some super sexy romance. No erotica but it was a fabulous book that will keep you hooked from the beginning. I fell in love with the main characters along with Winter's friend Jenifer. I was really sad the book ended and I would love to have followed Winter and Cade further into their story but I will look forward to following the Deveuax sisters in this new series by Kinrade and Karpov. A must read for any romantic.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars!

Follow the rest of the tour on Grapevine Book Tours, see what others are saying about Kiss Me in Paris. 

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~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~

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