Four Littles Media Kindle Fire Giveaway

Welcome to the Four Littles Media Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Hosted by: My Four Littles and Four Littles Media

Cohosted by: 

Everything Mommyhood, Mommy's Craft Obsession, Pink Ninja Blog, A Medic's World, 

Stay a Stay at Home Mom, Monica's Rants, Raves, and Reviews, Shaping Up to Be a Mom, 

Writing As Art, An Ordinary Housewife, Me and My Handful, The Stuff of Success, 

This Mama Loves Her Bargains, Krazy Coupon Club, Coupons With Q, Boy Oh Boys, 

My Devotional Thoughts, and Simply Sherryl 

Enter below!

Read It! Nook HD+ Slate Giveaway

Welcome to the Read It! Nook HD+ Slate Giveaway

Hosted by Mom to Bed by 8

Thank you to our lovely co-hosts: Baby Costcutters, Ottawa Mommy Club, The Penny Hoarder, The Link Fairy, Stay a Stay at Home Mom and Water Rolls Uphill.

My Nook is one of the my favorite gifts my husband has ever bought me.  If he didn't buy me a dog on Valentine's Day one year, it would be my favorite!  Good luck everyone from Blabs from a SAHM and TW.  Enter below to win!

Dark Seeker

Dark Seeker 

Taryn Browning

Synopsis: She's the Seeker. He's the hunted. What's at stake could kill them both...  For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. Seeker Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead. After her father’s tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn’t worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn’t know what he is. As Janie’s intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It’s a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie.

Kindle Fire Giveaway

Want to score a Kindle Fire? Well, Giveaway Scoop and Tracky have got you covered. Go ahead and enter below for a chance to win one of these nifty tablets!

Hosted by Baby Costcutters, co-hosted by Confessions of a Messy Mama

So what's Giveaway Scoop about?

Daily Giveaway Scoop scours the web to find the best 15 to 20 giveaways - all delivered in a familiar Pinterest style design. Plus since all the giveaways are just one click away, you can easily find the giveaways, contests and sweepstakes you want to enter. Give Giveaway Scoop a visit today and you'll see how easy we've made it to find the web's treasure chest of giveaways!

What does Tracky do?

Tracky is a social collaboration platform that bridges the gap between your personal and professional circles. If you need to get something done or if you're looking to connect with other doers, Tracky is the place.

One lucky winner will win a Kindle Fire!! Open World Wide {if winner is outside the US the prize will be $200 paypal cash} Must be 18+ years of age to enter.

Good Luck from us here at Blabs from a SAHM and TW!

FYI, I just checked out Giveaway Scoop and it is awesome! Really easy to use and there are a ton of giveaways!

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Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Blabs from a SAHM and TW is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.

I Like Book Giveaway

The Sublime Media Connection recently had the pleasure of reviewing a wonderful approach to journaling called the I Like Book. This book focuses on the things we like, and has proven to be great tool for women, couples and children. In this post we want to share our reviews with you and offer you a wonderful giveaway.

Melissa of Melissa Say What? shares " Home life obstacles are a lot easier to face than work obstacles. When I received the “I Like Book” to review, I instantly thought of how it could help me remain positive at work during trying times." Check out her review here.

Sara of Sweet Silly Sara shares "Each day I take a few minutes to jot down what I like, what makes me happy, what is good in my life. I have found this to be an excellent exercise for me. I write in myI Like Book in the morning. It sets the pace of my day, and when I recognize the great things in my life, my attitude improves drastically." Check out her review here.

Amanda of Coupons and Lesson plans tells readers about the new bed time ritual she has with her daughter and the I Like Book read her review here.

Susan of My Cozie Corner says "I am totally in love with this book! " Read her review here.

The I Like Book is a realistic approach to journaling and it offers the user a touch of positive psychology which is always a good thing. The I like book for couples and kids would be ideal gifts for the special people in your life.

One very lucky reader will win a copy of the I look book for women, for couples and for kids. This giveaway begins on 8/20 and ends on 8/31/12.


This giveaway was brought to you by the Sublime Media Connection. The participating bloggers cannot be held responsible for the delivery of this item, as that is the responsibility of the sponsor. If you have any questions regarding the delivery of the prize please email pr@sublimemediaconnection.info.

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Roll Call Book Tour

Roll Call is a story with a cast of characters that include Mexican drug cartels, southern California street gangs and Hell's Angels all fighting for their piece of the drug culture. In the middle of it all, B.J. is hell bent for destruction until he realizes his destiny in the nick of time. Add a good detective squeezed out of the loop by an overzealous narcotic detective; a robust prison union trying to call the shots; a handful of drug criminals trying to find their conscience and you have the perfect recipe for a revolutionary uprising, bound by blood, all leaving the reader wondering, who are the real criminals?

Glenn Langohr's other books include: Upon Release ( Roll Call Volume 2 ) .99 cents with kindle, Race Riots ( Prison Killers Book 1 ), Lock Up Diaries ( Prison Killers Book 2 ), Gladiator ( Prison Killers Book 3 ) and Underdog ( Prison Killers Book 4 )

This book can and should be made into a movie!  It made me think of OZ, the TV show that was on HBO.  I have wondered what it was like for one to be in prison, especially if they were arrested for drug possession and were in a cell with someone who committed murder.  It gives me the willies!  The author starts the book out by introducing us to his way of life and why he got into selling and dealing.  Being a HS teacher I have seen and been around students who decided to make their way of life "profitable" like BJ did when he was  a teen.  It was amazing to hear some of the ways he "got away" and who was actually the bad guys in the story.  While in prison, BJ described many horrific situations and ways prisoners communicate.  It was easy to get sucked into the plot line and the emotional battles of the characters in the book.  This would be a great book to include in a summer reading program or in a 'Scared Straight' program.  It was not as harsh as others have said, with the prison violence and all, but an eye opener to all who have no experience or knowledge besides what the movies show us.  

All though the book I thought it mirrored Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken poem. 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

Be sure to check our the authors websites :

• Glenn Langohr FB
• Lockdown Pub. FB
• Roll Call FB 
• Langohr's Goodreads page

Buy on Amazon! 

The Lust Garden

With her perfectly tousled blonde hair and pink, pouty lips, Gianna Salvani is the girl everyone loves to hate. She has it all – fame, fortune and unrivaled beauty. But behind the seductive smile is an insecure girl who still grieves for the father she lost years ago. With a controversial new film in the can, and the release of her debut album looming, Gianna is poised to take center stage. But when a shocking secret leaves her exposed, her fame will bring her face-to-face with a nightmare she never saw coming. Because lurking in the shadow of her spotlight is an obsessed killer with plans of his own for Gianna.  Ignited by his first conquest, Gianna’s greatest admirer begins a brutal hunt to claim her as the ultimate trophy in a string of look-alike murders. Motivated by envy, he forces himself into her seemingly untainted world and threatens to ruin everything she’s built by revealing a hidden tie that binds them. And if you knew his secret, you’d want to kill her to ... 

Kindle or Paperback!

One thing I can say about this book is the author really knows how to set that hook in our minds! I always taught my students to use "bait" to hook" the reader and your story will excel.  Billy Jolie did exactly that! The author gave the characters such depth and magnitude a "normal" person has, if you are a music and  film star.  As an avid gossip column reader, I saw the characters appearing on front covers with stories that would shock us all.  As with any book that deals with someone from Hollywood or NY, it includes sex, drugs, and rock and roll - well, maybe not the rock and roll :)  I can honestly place each character with a real person - a drugged out model, a starlet with a boyfriend using her star power, crazy paparazzi, and a down and out PA.

Gianna and the other characters can be picked out of the movie stars we know today, often interchangeably! I admit my favorite character is Gianna, but I think that is because she is wrote with such details it brings her to life in my mind.  I love that this book had my mind wondering which person was ultimately going to die (not telling) and who the killer really was. 

Immortal Voyage Book Tour

Immortal Voyage

Before the time of the great pyramids, there was a place like none other, a city of glass and metal rising from the depths of the ocean. Shrouded in mist, the island of Hy-Brasil and its capital Atlantis lay hidden from the rest of the world by its people, a race of long lived, interstellar nomads. What secrets would you keep to save your kingdom? On the Queen’s deathbed, the sonless King Rowe is force into a promise to allow his five daughters to marry for love. A promise he wished he had never made, and one he will have to break, to save the kingdom from his squabbling, incompetent son-in-laws. The youngest of five daughters, Jael, spent most of her time at her father’s side learning to run a kingdom. Believed to be the King’s favorite, Jael is shocked when he betroths her to a longtime friend of his, Prince Sarik of Hy-Brasil. Soon she will learn that world is full of secrets and one of them is her very own birth. Will the secret that bonds her to Sarik be the ultimate downfall of a kingdom?  

Powell had many characters in this book as well as mystery, deception, and of course love.  It begins when the Jael, a main character, became the last daughter and chance for a son that King Rowe had.  In some cultures the father/family picks who the girl will marry and I hoped this was not the case for Jael.  In order to save the kingdom King Rowe loved, he promised her to someone!  This is the starting point for Jael to grow into the women she will eventually become.  She learns many things bout herself, her family, and the kingdoms.  Powell writes with such finesse that we get into the minds of each character and see the unique quirks that each character has, especially the sisters.  I would say this is a great read if you like romance mixed with little fantasy love. 

 Enter to Win - fill out the form Below! 

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This book tour and contest is brought to you by Promotionalbooktours.com Open to U.S. Residents.

News on the Homefront Book Tour~R/GA~

TITLE: News on the Home

AUTHOR: Christopher G. McPherson

GENRE: Historical Fiction

Book Description:
Set against a worldwide canvas that includes New York, Paris and Germany "News on the Home Front" tells the story of two women who have been friends since their childhood in West Lake, Maryland. The world war has torn apart their lives leaving each trying to find a way to put it back together. It's been a difficult few years with rationing and shortages starting to take their toll. Carole's boyfriend, Philip, is off to fly for the Army; and Irene has taken a job at the nearby aircraft factory. Carole promised Philip that she would wait for his return from the war -- but circumstances begin to conspire against her. She's waited her whole life for him, but can she make it until the end of the war?

Interview with Christopher McPherson!

What is your book about?

"News on the Home Front" looks at what was happening in the states during World War Two while war raged overseas. It focuses on two women who have been friends since childhood and how the war affects them.

How did you come up with the title?

It seems like everyone writes about war from the point of view of the soldiers. I wanted to write a novel from the vantage point of the people left behind in the states while their loved ones fought. During the 1940s, a common phrase used by Americans overseas was "Any news from the home front?" I changed that a little and came up with my title.

Why World War Two?

The war years of the 1940s were perhaps the last time everyone in this country came together behind a single cause. There was a real possibility the American way of life would come to an end with the aggression shown by the Japanese and German military's. People were scared and motivated to do their part. It seemed like fertile ground for a story.

Your two main characters are women. Why?

The so-called "women's movies" of the 1930s and 1940s fascinate me. They have strong female characters and I find that really interesting. In my novel I wanted to show that strength does not just come from a gun, it also comes from inside when having to deal with tragedy, rationing, invasion fears, etc. I also liked the idea of having one of my characters work at an aircraft plant. People too often overlook the tremendous contribution to the war made by women; aside from Rosie the Riveter you never hear any of their stories.

What books have influenced your style of writing the most?

I was influenced early by Ayn Rand ("The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged"). She has a way of creating characters and setting scenes that really make you sit up and take notice. In all my fiction writing I try to create characters as vivid and memorable as hers. It's not easy, let me tell you.

Are there specific teachers whom you gained a love for reading and writing from?

I was an avid reader long before I started formal schooling. Reading and I were best friends from an early age. I was really sick as a child so I had lots of time to myself to engage my imagination. It was probably one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. I started writing pretty young, too, noodling around with words, creating animal stories and various adventures. I began writing professionally quite early and built a career writing for newspapers, magazines, radio, the stage and some television.  

Enter to win your own copy HERE! 

News on the Home Front~GA~

TITLE: News on the Home Front
AUTHOR: Christopher G. McPherson
GENRE: Historical Fiction Book
Description: Set against a worldwide canvas that includes New York, Paris and Germany "News on the Home Front" tells the story of two women who have been friends since their childhood in West Lake, Maryland. The world war has torn apart their lives leaving each trying to find a way to put it back together. It's been a difficult few years with rationing and shortages starting to take their toll. Carole's boyfriend, Philip, is off to fly for the Army; and Irene has taken a job at the nearby aircraft factory. Carole promised Philip that she would wait for his return from the war -- but circumstances begin to conspire against her. She's waited her whole life for him, but can she make it until the end of the war?

 Enter to win your own below! :)

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Ah! Cows are taking over the world!

Cows are trying to take over the world! But how would these normally docile creatures do such a thing? Only Jimmy Tatley, a fourteen year old boy from Golthwaite and his faithful, clever sheepdog companion Flossy can find out and stop them in time to save everyone from becoming the bovine’s slaves. This is not without its perils and comical consequences however. Of course, they get a little help on the way from some unusual characters, the avians and not forgetting those mysterious agents ‘The Masters’. 

This book honestly did make me giggle. When I see a cow they are usually slowly chewing their grass and walking around at a leisurely pace.   Within the humor presented in the book, it made the reader have a great message when finished - You can always make a difference!  I loved that the bird, Robin, demonstrated over and over again that being small is a moot point when dealing with situations he was faced with.  I'm not entirely sure what was in the water at this small village, but it would be extremely interesting to see!  'The Masters' is an interesting group.  At first I was thinking it was just a general term for humans, but then was surprised when I read it.   It reminded me of the movies Cats v. Dogs and how they lived in a world that was completely secret from us.  This book is a great mix of humor, wonder, and action.  It is a piece of creative writing that children will love.  Many activities can be made out of it in a classroom too :)  Be sure to like the author on FB because he travels to many schools and most likely has many ideas to offer as well!

• Creative Writing activity dealing with another animal that they could see try taking over the world
• Study of descriptive words
• Book project dealing with art 
• etc.

 This was a great easy read and children of all ages can read it, with or without adult assistance.  Remember, if it is on an EReader they can automatically use the dictionary while coming across an unknown word.  Check out the Book Blog for more info!

Buy this book on Amazon  B&N  Kobo !

 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Lust Garden Book Blast!

 

The Lust Garden

With her perfectly tousled blonde hair and pink, pouty lips, Gianna Salvani is the girl everyone loves to hate. She has it all - fame, fortuneand unrivaled beauty. But behind the seductive smile is an insecure girl who still grieves for the father she lost years ago. With a controversial new film in the can, and the release of her debut album looming, Gianna ispoised to take center stage. But when a shocking secret leaves her exposed, her fame will bring her face-to-face with a nightmare she never saw coming. Because lurking in the shadow of her spotlight is an obsessed killer with plans of his own for Gianna. Ignited by his first conquest, Gianna's greatest admirer begins a brutal hunt to claim her as the ultimate trophy in a string of look-alike murders. Motivated by envy, he forces himself into her seemingly untainted world and threatens to ruin everything she's built by revealing a hidden tie that binds them. And if you knew his secret, you'd want to kill her too   Kindle / Paperback

Billy Jolie graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Mass Communications. He lives in the Tampa Bay area. Follow him on Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Goodreads   Follow the Tour Promotional Book Tours and Billy Jolie are giving away a $50 Amazon Gc and 5 autographed copies!

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Rent Your Textbooks and Help Operation Smile!

When I went to college I was completely unaware of how expensive books were!  Even used books were way over my budget.  Then at the end of each semester, I had a bunch of books that the book store wouldn't even buy back.  It costs me at least $500 per semester! How I wish that CampusBookRentals.com was around then!  They allow you to rent all the books you need and you save a ton of money in the process!  How it works:

1. Search for the textbooks you need.
2. Rent your books.  You determine how long you rent them.  They have many options.
3. Receive your books-Free shipping is included in the rental price!
4. Return your books when you're done, also with free shipping!

When I first heard about them I wasn't expecting the books to come at such a great deal!  Here is a newer edition of a Biology book that I bought in college.  At the book store I paid over $200.  Right now on Amazon it is $165.  Campus Book Rentals has is for just $23.69 for a full semester!  That is a huge savings and would really add up if you used them to rent all your textbooks.

If saving money wasn't enough, they donate to Operation Smile with every textbook rented!  Here is a little about Operation Smile from their website:

"Operation Smile is an international children's medical charity that heals children's smiles, forever changing their lives. 

As a international charity for children, we measure ourselves by the joy we see on all of the faces we help. At Operation Smile, we're more than a charity. More than an NGO. We're a mobilized force of medical professionals and caring hearts who provide safe, effective reconstructive surgery for children born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate. 

Every three minutes a child is born with a cleft — often unable to eat, speak, socialize or smile. In some places these children are shunned and rejected. And in too many cases, their parents can't afford to give them the surgeries they need to live a normal life. 

That's where we come in as one of the top charities providing much needed surgical services. Since 1982, Operation Smile — through the help of dedicated medical volunteers — has provided more than 2 million patient evaluations and over 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. 

As one of the most prominent charities for children in the world and with a presence in over 60 countries, we are able to heal children’s smiles and bring hope for a better future. If you are looking to make a difference on a child’s life, Operation Smile is one of the best charities to donate to."

Not only does Operation Smile give needed surgeries, they also have a research department.  They are working on finding out why some children have a cleft palate and on ways to improve treatment.  Here is an example of a young girl that they helped!

Pretty amazing, right?  You can find out how to donate, volunteer, and more here.


This post was sponsored by Campus Book Rentals. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Sleeper's Run

 Synopsis: War on Terror veteran, Eric Caine, is found wandering the streets of Miami with no memory of the car accident that left him there. Alone and suffering from PTSD, Eric is on a one-way road to self-destruction. Then a chance meeting at a bar begins a series of events that helps Eric start anew. When his new job relocates him to Venezuela-the land of his childhood-things, however, take an ominous turn as a catastrophic event threatens the stability of the country. Now Eric must escape an elite team of CIA assassins as he tries to uncover an international conspiracy in which nothing is what it seems.

Eric Cane is like a book version of Burn Notice!  At first he is portrayed as a drunk who knows nothing.  After getting into a fight at a bar, another guy bails him out.  The unbeknownst friend Antonio ultimately had plans for Eric.  Eric was sent to Venezuela with a mission - kill the president. After setting down and doing a few things he realized he was being tracked by officials and maybe tricked.   The black-out he dealt with reminded me of Borne Identity, except Eric was a bit more trusting of people than Jason Borne was.  The author, Mosquera, used many descriptive details and painted the action scenes for the readers.  Using magnificent details like this allows us to fall into the story and see the 'movie' in our minds.  A great writer can always turn a book into a movie within the readers mind!  To top the excitement off, there is even a love story, well as much a love story as a man on the run from assassins can get. Would you find yourself falling for this guy?  Read and find out!

Taming the Wolf Book Tour R/GA

One of my favorite things to do during summer is to lay out and read.  I often read more than 4 books a week! One of my friends described me as a nerd in disguise.  :)   Yes I am a blonde who can read! There, I put those stereotypes to shame now. :)

Attacked by a wolf while hiking in the mountains, Anna Avery's life just got a little hairier. Living in the Big Horn mountains in Wyoming, with a group of werewolves who are more animal than human, Anna must try to hold onto her human side. It's not easy when the alpha continues to persuade her into his bed, while another wolf is chomping at the bit to become her mate. To top it all off, dead bodies are showing up and it just so happens that Anna was the last to see them alive. She'll have to work to prove her innocence and taming the wolf who bites first and asks questions never.  Purchase from Amazon and Barnes & Noble

 

Taming the Wolf was a great read! I read it in one sitting and can not wait until the next one is on my digital shelf! I love the supernatural stories, especially ones that are part of a series.  As I began to rad I instantly loved the qualities Stephanie Nelson gave Anna.  It made me understand why the "men" were after her so fiercely.  It made me think of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, where Sookie is always one of the last to see a person/being alive.  Anna becomes a werewolf from a bite, which is one of the ways literature tells us is possible.  The pack Alpha saves her, named Adam.  Think of him as Alcide in True Blood - :)  Anna has a problem of being the submissive wolf she should be, the lowest and newest part of the pack.  How does she get away with being outspoken and not following the traditional rules and role? Want to learn more? Read it and come back to let me know what "Team" you are on! 

Connect with Stephanie Nelson on Website • Facebook • Twitter

Follow the Tour -   Enter the contest - Fill out the form below

Reel Life

This book is free on Amazon right now for Prime members!

Synopsis: Sisters are meant to always be there for each other, or are they? In the glare of reality, clashing views and acts of betrayal can work to form unbridgeable gaps, and the fabric of sisterly love must be delicately rewoven from whole cloth. Reel Life charts the story of redheaded sisters Betty and Jamie, who must call upon the past to forge a new and meaningful connection for the future. With iconic moments of contemporary cinema driving the narrative thread, this absorbing work will cut straight to the heart and reveal the intricate, complex emotions that come together to form a family. Exploring themes of motherhood, body image, ambition and love, this tender, deeply affecting tale of two sisters offers a poignant close-up of this most intimate of relationships, which can both haunt and heal. Surging with drama that is interlaced with subtle irony, Reel Life illuminates how, sometimes, escaping reality can be the clearest path to emotional truth. 

Reel Life is about a set of sisters who come from the same dysfunctional family unit.  Lets be honest, if your family is not somewhat dysfunctional you do not have a real family! The sisters, Betty and Jamie, are and will continuously be butting heads.  The one thing that draws them together is the movies. While some sisters are similar, these two were total opposites.  Jamie is an architect who sadly is infertile.  Betty on the other hand  has many children and it seems at times rubs it in her sisters face.  As most family does, when one needs help it is undeniable to offer it.  Townsend captured what it was like for sisters, even ones who are literally across the world from one another.

Although this does not really go with the book, I love this song and it reminded me of the ups and downs Jamie and Betty faced!

Elected

Synopsis: Inaugurated after a bitter recount in Florida following the 2000 presidential race, President Hal Cord leads an angry and divided nation. ELECTED follows the Cord administration through political cat fights with Congress, the race to prevent al Qaeda attacks, and their success and mistakes on the international and domestic fronts.  White House Press secretary MJ Bennett battles daily with reporters and watches in horror as her country is brutally attacked, and careens into a Central Asian war that threatens the life of her new love, a legendary Special Forces commander.  After September 11, 2001, Cord calls for a creative “worldwide war.” Sending an overwhelming military force to Afghanistan badly damages Osama bin Laden’s force there; and Cord’s focus on eliminating the combustible engine forces al Qaeda to morph quicker than the group had planned, with dangerous results for Saudi Arabia … and the United States.

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 Elected is a definite "What If" book of our generation.  We have all seen many aspects and heard stories of what our leaders could have done or did not do during 9/11. This book would make an excellent nighttime TV show.  The characters, especially President Cord, have so much emotion the reader instantly is drawn into the story to see what happens.  As I read the book I remember thinking to myself when 9/11 happened - what is going on, why are we doing this, is there going to be even more terror in our  lives?  Like the characters in the book, we are filled with emotion and ideas on the topic, so diving into another world that could have mirrored our own was interesting. 

All throughout the book I kept the thought of when I first learned of 9/11 on the back of my mind.  I was sitting in my Geometry Math class at WCHS when we learned something happened. Our teacher turned on the TV and we instantly were drawn to it.  Being in HS you really do not know what is happening, so we just watched and were quiet.  I moved onto my next class, History, and teachers were told not to turn on the TVs and to keep teaching to their plans.  As a teacher myself now, I would have done the same thing my teacher did then - pull the door blind shut and put the TV on! We talked throughout it and he taught us what was happening, who the supposedly terrorists were, what this could mean to us personally, and what moves the government would make next.  I remember parents bombarding the school to take their kids home - I had a cell phone so my mom called and made sure we were all right and if we needed out of school.  We were completely shocked the entire day, leaving an eerie quiet during lunch time.

The Green Book Tour

TITLE: The Green
AUTHOR: Karly Kirkpatrick
GENRE: Young Adult

Book Description:

How far would you go to save your dream?  Seventeen-year-old Ariceli Pisa is a senior at the prestigious Cambridge High School and has her sights set on Northwestern University. She's a cheerleader, a member of the National Honor Society...and a drug dealer. That's not the only secret she has to keep from her best friend Naomi--she’s also madly in love with Naomi’s ex-boyfriend, James Bartlett. Trying to balance her life at Cambridge High with her new demanding job keeps her teetering on the edge of disaster.




Kirkpatrick hit the nail on the head when she described Ari.  Often the popular kids who happen to be smart and beautiful have a secret life others do not know about.  In Ari's case she was a drug dealer.  In reality this happens more than not because who wants to think the kid getting good grades is actually doing something bad?  Noone does! Some people are saying the material presented in the book is shocking to young readers, such as drugs and drug use, but the thing is it happens everyday in life.  As a HS teacher I have seen this more often than parents would want to know - it is out there and you can not hide it from your kids.  As a piece of literature there is nothing wrong with it - it happens in reality!I get a big kick when people keep saying a good girl selling drugs can not happen .. hahaha!

The book was great.  The characters in the book were realistic and often face challenges that we deal with in our own lives.  Ari has two parts of her life, one that she keeps hidden from everyone because she is ashamed of it.  She is trying to save money and help pay bills so she can stay in a  good school district and attend a prestigious college.  The Green has a riveting storyline that surrounded me in the world of deception, struggle, lies, and adventure.  I highly recommend it for all readers!  As others have cautioned you should be 14+, do not listen!  From being in the schools everyday as a teacher this stuff is seen by your children whether you want it to or not.  Again it is a realistic piece of literature and you must read it!

Want to win your own copy?  Enter below :)

Diamond Fire Anniversary Giveaway

Bay Area Mommy is celebrating her 1st blog anniversary with a giveaway for a Kindle Fire (or $200 Amazon gift card) and 2 Diamond Candles.


Kindle Fire is open worldwide but the 2 Diamond Candles is restricted to the US only since they don't ship outside the US.


Giveaway will run from July 25, 12:01am EST to August 15, 11:59pm EST. Good luck from Blabs from a SAHM and TW(2B)!


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Get Healthy with Fit Moms for Life~Review and Giveaway

Let me start by saying this is the average "diet book".  Fit Moms for Life is all about changing your mindset about getting health and then starting your journey to become fit.  The author, Dustin Maher, doesn't even start talking about food until chapter five.  Dustin Maher is 28 year-old, single fitness instructor.  Why is he so interested in helping mother's get fit?  Here is a little about him in his own words:

"The first question I get asked a lot is, why a 28 year old single guy loves working with moms.  Well the answer to that question goes back many years to when my mom raised my 3 younger siblings and me, along with my dad.  She was a stay-at-home mom and did so much for her 4 children.  Looking back, I realized that she spent so much time taking care of her kids that she didn’t take time for herself.  I also realized that she didn’t have a good support group of other mothers who were motivated to get in shape and lose the baby fat.  I was very blessed to have a mom that was health conscious and cooked very healthy.  I learned a lot from her as she taught me what it meant to eat well.  I have also realized that when I can help a mom change the foods that she buys for her family and begins to exercise, her kids want to do what she is doing!  So not only do I get to help the mother out, but I get to help out the kids and maybe the husband (once in awhile) out as well."

Dustin is all about helping moms understand the realities of exercise and eating.  After every chapter there are "Fit Moms for Life Transformations" that include a some of the women who really put to use that chapters main goals.  These are real women, not paid actors, that have used his system to becoming a healthier version of themselves.  I really liked this part and it drove home that his book really does work!   

The first few chapters are all about mindset.  He stresses the fact that you and and you are going to change how you look and feel.  Some of his tips to get you in the right mindset are:

• Believe you're worth it.
• Put yourself first.(This one is the hardest for me!)
• Believe that change is possible.
• Practice positive thinking and speaking.
• Understand and overcome what's holding you back.
• Get rid of negative influences and limiting beliefs.

He goes into detail for each tip above and really gets down to the core of setting the right mindset!  He also talks a lot about the importance of goal setting, both long and short term.  The last part of this section is being real with yourself.  Where are you truly at health wise?  There is a fitness test(don't worry there are detailed instructions!) and a nutritional reality check.  I found these all to be really helpful.  I wasn't nearly as bad as I thought I was!


The next section of chapters are all about food.  There is a lot of information here!  But not in a way that is hard to understand.  He goes into what exactly you should and shouldn't be eating.  There is a few really helpful charts like: Rules to Eat By, The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15, Healthy Carbs, Fats and Proteins to Include in You Eating Plan and Healthy Snacks Ideas.  I loved that there was no complex formula to what you should be eating.  Just basic facts that are easy to implement into your everyday life.  This isn't a diet; it's more of a way of life.  


The last two sections are about how to get fit and stay that way.  He focuses on strength and burst training.  It's not about running on the treadmill for hours but about shorter more intense exercises.  There are details on what muscles to work on and how to do so.  I have never even heard of burst training but it seems to make perfect sense!  Plus it's not too overwhelming for newbies so you will be more inclined to workout!  There is a whole section on putting together the perfect workout for you and instructions on a bunch of different exercises.  


This is one of the best fittest books I have ever read!  Mostly, it is because it is actually readable!  You can easily pick it up and read a chapter or two and come back later on.  It's an easy read, packed with valuable information.  You can track your progress at the end of the book and he is a really great motivator.  


Now that you are hooked, want to win a copy? Enter below!