Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Review: The Pug List by Alison Hodgson




My rating: 5 of 5 stars




“What if a wheezing, sneezing, allegedly house-trained, ticking time bomb of an orphan pug is the key to helping a family feel at home again, after an arsonist set their house—and life—on fire? If you asked me, I would have said it’s a bad idea; we can do better. Unfortunately no one asked me, and The Pug List is my family’s story.”

In the fire’s aftermath of insurance battles royal, rebuilding plans, parenting in the face of life’s hard questions and a scorching case of post-traumatic stress, now is absolutely the worst possible time to adopt a dog. But to Alison’s seven-year-old daughter, Eden, it’s the perfect time—and The Relentless Campaign begins.

Until one day Alison peeks inside Eden’s diary—dubbed “The Pug List”—and realizes in one fell swoop that her girl’s heart is on the line, and resistance is futile (“The pugs make me happy FOREVER.”).

Enter “Outrageous” Oliver, and the hilarity, healing, and irresistible hope that follows.




Monday, August 29, 2016

Review: Without Warning by Lynette Eason



My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Katie Singleton, a partner with the Elite Guardians Protection Agency, stumbles upon her next assignment quite by accident. Spotting blue lights at a familiar restaurant, she stops to investigate, only to discover that owner Daniel Matthews has become the target of someone who will go to any lengths to put him out of business.

Daniel might be concerned, but he's not convinced that a bodyguard--and a female one at that--is necessary. A new attack and his niece's urgings are enough to make him reconsider. He and Katie must figure out who's behind the intimidation and threats--before a would-be killer strikes again.

Witty dialogue and a simmering attraction will have readers flying through this tension-laced thriller. Eason exercises complete control of her readers' emotions as they race through the pages to discover the truth.




Swagbucks: SWAGO Shop Edition



It's time for another round of SWAGO! What is SWAGO you ask? It's a bingo-inspired promotion run by Swagbucks, a website that rewards you with points (called SB) for completing everyday online activities. You can redeem those SB for free gift cards. If you've never used Swagbucks, participating in SWAGO is a great introduction to the site. This particular round of SWAGO is all about online shopping.
Here’s what you need to know to get your 200 SB Bonus (and don’t worry, you don’t have to make a purchase to complete a pattern):
  • Shop Swago will begin on Monday, August 29th at 1pm PDT/3pm EDT, make sure you hit “Join” otherwise you won’t get credit for completing the action items. Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete.
  • Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
  • You have a limited amount of time to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
  • Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value.
  • Once you’ve achieved a pattern the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
  • The game ends Monday, September 5th at 12pm PDT/3pm EDT. So make sure to hit “Submit” on the pattern you wish to submit. If you don’t hit “Submit” before the game ends you won’t receive your SB bonus.

New to Swagbucks? Great! It’s a site where you earn free gift cards for the things you already do online. You get points (called SB) and redeem them for PayPal or Visa cash and gift cards from Amazon, Walmart, Target and other great retailers. Here’s how to earn your 300 SB in an hour:
  1. Sign up for free through this link
  2. Watch a few short clips from Top Sports Headlines, World New Headlines, cooking shows, and the Latest from TMZ and earn 26 SB
  3. Take a 5 minute survey for 60 SB and a 13 minute survey for 100 SB. Even if you get DQ’d, you get paid up to five times for a total of 5 SB.
  4. Print a $1 Off Flintstone’s Vitamin Coupon and earn 25 SB
  5. Sign Up for Zulilly's free mailing list and earn 50 SB
  6. Click through entertainment-focused web content with NCrave for 20 minutes and earn 20 SB.
  7. Install the Hulu App on your phone and earn 24 SB.

That’s it! You’ve just earned 300 SB (worth $3 on its own) for your effort!


Swagbucks really works!  
I've earned $25 so far this month and I've earned almost $500 in the last 3 1/2 years!  It really does work!   I usually get Amazon gift cards because it's perfect for my e-book habit. :D



www.swagbucks.com

August 2016 Clash! Come Vote!

Clash of the Titles




Hot! Hot! Hot!

Vote for your Fave!



Scroll through these FOUR new releases and cast your vote for the one you'd pick up first to read.
I know it's hard!




Fight for Liberty by Theresa Linden



Prompted by the inner voice that has guided her for years, Liberty is compelled to bring the freedom she now possesses to others suppressed by the all-controlling government. While unsure of how to carry out this mission, she is willing to risk all to accomplish it.

~~~~~~





An Elegant Facade by Krisit Ann Hunter



Lady Georgina Hawthorne has worked tirelessly to seal her place as the Incomparable for her debut season; with money and business connections, but without impeccable bloodlines, Colin McCrae is invited everywhere but accepted nowhere. As their paths continue to cross, they both must decide if the realization of their dreams is worth the sacrifices they must make.

~~~~~~




Defying Shadows by Ashley Townsend



Sarah travels back to the twelfth century and discovers that a ghost from her past has returned to Serimone, intent on changing the future. Time is quickly running out to stop him, and her life is put on the line as she must decide between returning to the safety of her world, and entrusting her future with a hero of the past as they attempt to save history.
~~~~~~ 


One Thursday Morning by T.K. Chapin


Running not only for her own life, but that of her unborn baby, Serenah moves across the country to a little town outside of Spokane Washington called Newport. It's here she'll begin to build a new life and go by a different name in the hopes of staying hidden from her abusive husband John. 
~~~~~~

VOTE HERE!



If you have trouble viewing the entire survey, August 2016 Clash Surveyclick here to load a dedicated page to the survey
.




Release Day Blitz: The Fall of Lord Drayson by Rachael Anderson

~Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY below!~

The Fall of Lord Drayson

The Fall of Lord Drayson by Rachael Anderson

Who is he really? A high and mighty lord or a lowly servant?

When Colin Cavendish, the new earl of Drayson, informs Lucy Beresford that she and her mother need to vacate the house they've called home for the past two years, Lucy is fit to be tied. They have no money, no relations they can turn to for help, and nowhere to go. How dare the earl break the promise his father had made to the Beresfords without so much as a twinge of conscience?

Fate plays her hand when Lucy discovers the earl unconscious and injured in the middle of the road. When he awakens with no recollection of who he is, Lucy seizes the opportunity to teach the earl a much-needed lesson in humility and tells him that he is nothing more than a mere servant. Her servant, in fact.

And thus begins the charming tale of a pompous lord and an impetuous young woman, caught together in a web so tangled that it begs the question: Will they ever get out?

amazon

Excerpt

He stared at her incredulously, as though she had escaped Bedlam. “Are you in your right mind, woman?”

Lucy leaned forward and planted her palms on his bed so that her eyes were level with his. “My name is Lucy Beresford. I have lived in Askern all my life. I’m the sole daughter of a vicar and a seamstress who lived most happily despite their differences in station. When my father passed away, I came here, to this dower house. So yes, I am in my right mind. It is you who are not.”

The earl’s jaw clenched, and Lucy took some pleasure at the sight. Perhaps he would come down off his high horse and show at least a small amount of kindness or respect.

“I may not know who I am or where I came from,” he finally said, “but at least I do not feel the need to tell tales.”

“Tell tales?” Lucy gaped at him. Was he accusing her of telling untruths? Her, of all people? What untruths? How dare he!

Lord Drayson glanced down at his fingers, frowning when he spotted grime under his nails. He began to scrape it out as he spoke. “Claiming to be the daughter of a vicar and seamstress is all very romantic, but it cannot possibly be the truth.”

“And why not?” she asked.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Swagbucks: Back to School Sale







While the kids have been out of school, it’s like I’ve been MC Mommy: Entertainment Guru for the past month. As fun as it is, I’m ready for class to resume. 

And although the only part of summer ending that my kids like is Back-To-School shopping, that hefty receipt hangs over my head from the start of July until the middle of September. Didn’t I buy them enough pens and binders last year?!

Well, I think it’s about time for Mommy to be rewarded. 

From now until September 1st, Swagbucks is offering double cash back in the form of points (called SB) when you shop for all your back to school essentials. Plus, if you sign up to Swagbucks through this link and spend up to $25 shopping at these stores through Swagbucks, you'll earn a $5 bonus. 

Walmart - Up to 7 SB per $1
Target - Up to 2 SB per $1
eBay - Up to 2 SB per $1
Amazon - Up to 7 SB per $1
Macy’s - Up to 6 SB per $1
Gap - Up to 2 SB per $1
Old Navy - Up to 4 SB per $1
Priceline - Up to 10 SB per $1
Expedia - Up to 8 SB per $1
And so many more

Points can be redeemed for gift cards to stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target or Paypal cash so I can treat myself. 

Who said back to school shopping is all about the kids? Swagbucks also gives you 4% Cash Back at Starbucks, so order your Java Chip Frappuccino tumbler online and treat yo’self when you pick up your kids’ back to school goodies!


New to Swagbucks? Great! It’s a site where you earn free gift cards for the things you already do online. You get points (called SB) and redeem them for PayPal or Visa cash and gift cards from Amazon, Walmart, Target and other great retailers. Here’s how to earn your 300 SB in an hour:
  1. Sign up for free through this link
  2. Watch a few short clips from Top Sports Headlines, World New Headlines, cooking shows, and the Latest from TMZ and earn 26 SB
  3. Take a 5 minute survey for 60 SB and a 13 minute survey for 100 SB. Even if you get DQ’d, you get paid up to five times for a total of 5 SB.
  4. Print a $1 Off Flintstone’s Vitamin Coupon and earn 25 SB
  5. Sign Up for Zulilly's free mailing list and earn 50 SB
  6. Click through entertainment-focused web content with NCrave for 20 minutes and earn 20 SB.
  7. Install the Hulu App on your phone and earn 24 SB.

That’s it! You’ve just earned 300 SB (worth $3 on its own) for your effort!


Swagbucks really works!  
I've earned $25 so far this month and I've earned almost $500 in the last 3 1/2 years!  It really does work!   I usually get Amazon gift cards because it's perfect for my e-book habit. :D

www.swagbucks.com


Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Honeybee Sisters Series by Jennifer Beckstrand

~Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY below!~




Sweet as Honey:

Smart, kind, and good-hearted, the three Christner girls are affectionately known as The Honeybee Sisters in the beloved Wisconsin Amish community where, under the care of their aunt, they’ve grown into skilled beekeepers–and lovely, sought-after young women. . .

Though she has blossomed into a beauty, Lily Christner doesn’t really believe it. Deep down, she still feels like a lonely, gawky teenager. Maybe that’s why she’s all but promised herself to Paul Glick, the one boy who never teased her in her awkward girlhood–unlike Dan Kanagy, whose creative name-calling left her in tears many a time. Now he’s back in town after two years away–and being surprisingly sweet, suspiciously attentive–and making Lily unsettlingly yet deliciously nervous. It seems Dan wants Lily’s forgiveness–and her heart. But can he convince her–not to mention her protective schwesters and aendi–that despite the past, her future lies with him?…



A Bee in Her Bonnet:

Lively, determined, and independent, Poppy Christner isn’t about to let some vandal keep making mischief on her family’s farm. She’s been outrunning boys and standing up for picked-on children ever since she was a girl–no matter how much her prideful, arrogant schoolmate Luke Bontrager insulted her. So Poppy certainly doesn’t need his interference now, especially since he’s made it plain he prefers demure, ladylike companions. In fact, if Luke doesn’t stop helping her find the culprit–and growing humble and remorseful–she’ll be forced to notice how handsome his change-of-heart is making him. And that could mean falling in love–maybe for a lifetime…







Like a Bee to Honey:

Shy, skittish Rose Christner is more comfortable tending to the beehives on the family farm and keeping her aunt’s unruly cats in line than attending social gatherings with the rest of the die youngie. A childhood trauma and secret shame keep her heart under lock and key, and Rose just can’t accept the sweet attention she’s receiving from a handsome neighbor. But the more she shies away from Josiah Yoder, the more their families sneakily plot to bring them together. And when a vandal who’s been plaguing the Honeybee Farm starts targeting Rose, Josiah’s steadfast protection—and patience—just may lead her into his waiting arms…










Thursday, August 25, 2016

Book Spotlight & Giveaway : My Father's House by Rose Chandler Johnson

~Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY below!~





Genre: Christian, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Suspense
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication date: March 13, 2016
Number of pages: 314

Growing up, life is idyllic for Lily Rose Cates due to her one constant – her father’s love. But in her sixteenth summer, all that changes without warning with her father’s sudden death. There begins Lily’s struggle to find herself and a life she thinks is gone forever.

Marriage to her prince charming promises fulfillment, but their happily-ever-after barely survives the honeymoon. Beneath the sophisticated facade lies a brooding man who hides dark secrets. When all Lily’s illusions of happiness shatter, she must make hard choices – abandon her husband or risk losing much more than her marriage. She flees their home in Detroit and sets out on a fearful journey to a house in Georgia that her husband knows nothing about. . . .

In spite of heartbreak and regrets, will she find the strength to survive whatever comes? Or will her husband find her and shatter all her hopes . . . again. This is one woman’s compelling tale of love and survival as she finds her way back home to faith and who she’s meant to be . . . in her father’s house.




Blog Hop & Giveaway: True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager

~Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY below!~




Series: Landry's True Colors
Genre: Younger YA/Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Clean Reads
Publication date: June 17, 2014
Number of pages: 222

Landry Albright just wants to be one of the interesting girls at school who always have exciting things going on in their lives. She wants to stand out, but also wants to fit in, so she gives in when her two best friends, Ericka and Tori, push her into trying out for a teen reality show modeling competition with them. Landry goes in nervous, but impresses the judges enough to make it to the next round. However, Ericka and Tori get cut and basically "unfriend" her on Monday at school. Landry tries to make new friends, but gets caught up between wanting to be herself and conforming to who her new friends want her to be. Along the way she learns that modeling is nowhere as glamorous as it seems, how to deal with frenemies, a new crush, and that true friends see you for who you really are and like you because of it.

GOODREADS | AMAZON-US | AMAZON-UK | AMAZON-AU | AMAZON-CA | B&N | ITUNES

Books in the Series




Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star, Landry in Like, and Competing with the Star (The Star Series: Book 2). Her work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Bellbrook Times, and on Living Dayton.


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Swagbucks - Three For All: Pass the Torch!




Want to make a quick buck? (or six?)

Then it’s time to try Swagbucks! In celebration of the Summer Games, Swagbucks has announced another promotion where you can get a $3 (300 SB) Bonus just for signing up through our site and earning your first 300 SB before September. So open up your umbrella (not in the house!) and put on your slicker and galoshes because it’s about to pour 300 SB Bonuses for you and your family and friends.

New to Swagbucks? Great! It’s a site where you earn free gift cards for the things you already do online. You get points (called SB) and redeem them for PayPal or Visa cash and gift cards from Amazon, Walmart, Target and other great retailers. Here’s how to earn your 300 SB in an hour:


  1. Sign up for free through this link
  2. Watch a few short clips from Top Sports Headlines, World New Headlines, cooking shows, and the Latest from TMZ and earn 26 SB
  3. Take a 5 minute survey for 60 SB and a 13 minute survey for 100 SB. Even if you get DQ’d, you get paid up to five times for a total of 5 SB.
  4. Print a $1 Off Flintstone’s Vitamin Coupon and earn 25 SB
  5. Sign Up for Zulilly's free mailing list and earn 50 SB
  6. Click through entertainment-focused web content with NCrave for 20 minutes and earn 20 SB.
  7. Install the Hulu App on your phone and earn 24 SB.

That’s it! You’ve just earned 300 SB (worth $3 on its own) and you’ll get a $3 Bonus for your effort!

Already a Swagbucks member? Here’s how to get your $3 Bonus:


  1. Refer a friend to Swagbucks between Now and Wednesday, August 31st
  2. Your referral earns 300 SB by August 31st (see above!)
  3. You AND your referral will both be awarded an additional 300 SB each

That’s it! (the 300 SB bonuses will credit by September 6th) So once again, starting today, send out those referrals, a 300 SB Bonus could come in handy for a rainy day!




Swagbucks really works!  
I've earned $25 so far this month and I've earned almost $500 in the last 3 1/2 years!  It really does work!   I usually get Amazon gift cards because it's perfect for my e-book habit. :D


www.swagbucks.com


Friday, August 19, 2016

Swagbucks - SWAGO Olympic Rings of Glory



Have the summer games ignited a competitive fire within you? Take that inspired feeling and channel it towards completing your Olympic Rings Swago board next week!
Swago is a bingo-inspired promotion run by Swagbucks, a website that rewards you with points (called SB) for completing everyday online activities. You can redeem those SB for free gift cards. If you've never used Swagbucks, participating in Swago is a great introduction to the site because you can get extra bonuses for trying out all the activities as you complete your board.
If you didn’t participate in the last round of Swago, here’s what you need to know to get your 300 SB Bonus:
  • Starting Friday, August 19th head to your Swago Board and hit “Join” to pre-register. If you don’t hit “Join” you won’t get credit for completing the action items.
  • Swago will begin on Monday, August 22nd at 12:01am PDT/3:01am EDT, so sit tight and get ready.
  • Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete. They can be anything from getting a search win, earning SB in Surveys, or earning SB in nCrave.
  • Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
  • You have a limited amount of time to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
  • Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value.
  • Once you’ve achieved a pattern the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
  • The game ends Monday, August 29th at 12pm PDT/3pm EDT. So make sure to hit “Submit” on the pattern you wish to submit. If you don’t hit “Submit” before the game ends you won’t receive your SB bonus.


If you are new to the Swagbucks world, make sure to create your free account here. Once you do, you will  start getting paid for doing everyday online tasks.    For more information on Swagbucks see my previous posts.



Swagbucks really works!  
I earned $40 in Amazon cards last month!  It's perfect for my e-book habit. :D

www.swagbucks.com