~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Wordless Wednesday ~ Cuddle Time
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Knitting ~ Holland Cowl
I was already looking for the prefect yarn or wool to make this fun and easy cowl pattern called Holland Cowl (it's on Ravelry for free). This pattern uses stitches like yarn over, and sl1-k2tog. It was speeding right along when I decided to throw in another load of laundry and left my knitting on the kitchen table. You would think I would have learned from the first time I did this but nope. When I got back upstairs, literally a couple minutes, I heard a big commotion and found my son trying to get my knitting back from the dog who stole it and ran off.
Here is my finished Holland Cowl, I love it and can't wait to wear it with my Web Hat. My daughter also thinks it could work as a headband/ear warmer. What do you think?
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
UNRAVELLED by M.K. Tod ~ Book Review
Synopsis
In October 1935, Edward Jamieson's memories of war and a passionate love affair resurface when an invitation to a WWI memorial ceremony arrives. Though reluctant to visit the scenes of horror he has spent years trying to forget, Edward succumbs to the unlikely possibility of discovering what happened to Helene Noisette, the woman he once pledged to marry. Travelling through the French countryside with his wife Ann, Edward sees nothing but reminders of war. After a chance encounter with Helene at the dedication ceremony, Edward's past puts his present life in jeopardy.
When WWII erupts a few years later, Edward is quickly caught up in the world of training espionage agents, while Ann counsels grieving women and copes with the daily threats facing those she loves.
And once again, secrets and war threaten the bonds of marriage.
With events unfolding in Canada, France and England, UNRAVELLED is a compelling novel of love, duty and sacrifice set amongst the turmoil of two world wars.
About the Author
M.K. Tod had a successful business career until a move to Hong Kong prompted an unexpected hiatus. Using that time to research her family history ultimately resulted in Unravelled and a new career as a writer. Beyond her debut novel, Mary has written two other novels with WWI settings. She blogs at awriterofhistory.com and is a book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society. In 2012, Mary conducted a unique international reader survey on the topic of historical fiction.
Review:
As a historian, I'm always wary about historical fiction, especially books set in my field of study. That said, I was thrilled when a piece of historical fiction goes above and beyond my expectations. That is what happened with Unravelled. The book drew me in from the first page and didn't let me go until the end. The writing was superb, the characters engaging, and the history sound. The title intrigued me as many a marriage didn't survive the war or its after effects. This isn't a light read but it is well worth the emotional investment, especially for anyone at all interested into the more personal side effects of war.
Written by Jenn Annis - Jenn is a voracious reader, and has been since childhood. She is currently attending the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University after deciding that her love of teaching trumped the doctorate she was working towards. Her passions include Canadian History, Football, Music, and Social Media.
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In Shadows of Magic Book Review & Giveaway
Mandy McKinney lives the charmed life. She is beautiful, athletic, popular, dating the hottest jock in school, and certainly doesn't have any time for her loser twin sister. But Mandy also has a secret. When the truth is unveiled, her world is twisted upside down, and her very life is at stake. Mandy's twin sister, Brianna, has never had any success in the dating department. When Brianna finally meets the guy of her dreams, it turns out that he has secrets of his own. Dangerous secrets. Just her luck. The twins are about to be swept away into a world of beauty and power beyond their wildest imaginations where nothing is what is seems, danger is lurking in the shadows, and their only chance of survival is finding themselves, and each other, once again.
Alison F. Prince is a school psychologist in northern New Jersey. In Shadows of Magic is her debut release.
My Review:
I enjoyed reading In Shadows of Magic. It is about two young twin sisters who although are twins do not share much in common, and don't appear to have much of a relationship. The beginning of the book focuses much on this, and suddenly roles change for the sisters. Mandy is no longer the beautiful, strong, and powerful being. Brianna soon harnesses all of her power and energy, all thanks to Valerie; a jealous, selfish ex-best friend of Mandy who manipulated Brianna into taking all of Mandy's magic. However the story does not stop, the same manipulating friend convinced Brianna to share her powers and once she was done getting what she needed, Valerie seeks out her dangerous revenge using her new powers. Now powerless Mandy is in danger, and the jealous ex best friend has made a new friend. Brianna's new boyfriend has a dangerous ex who's dark desires equal those of Valerie's. Brianna with the help of her new love and his powerful friends must save Mandy.
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Posted by Cheryl
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Cheryl. I received a copy of the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Week 4 ~ Get Fit Doggy Edition
Miss Molly did really well with being on the vets table at first and then she decided she didn't want to be there anymore. Being the big suck she is, she decided to give me a hug and hope I would do something for her. When I left her on the table she decided to literally jump into my arms and try to sit on my head. Hmm.....
She survived the appointment and so did I. All is well, she got her vaccinations and the dr said she is a healthy 18 month old but.... She is overweight. Humph, ok. I asked the dr what he thought was a good weight for her especially since she is a beagle and his answer was very shocking. She should be 30lbs! What? She is 37 lbs! How in the world am I going to get a beagle to lose 7 lbs???
He said exercise. We chatted about my new workout program and he said she is a healthy beagle so running would be good for her. Also big walks are great for weight loss and will help tire her out so she hopefully will be less anxious.
This past week we have increased our walks throughout the day to aim for 8-10km a day. Both Tuesday and Wednesday we completed this challenge. Today I am heading to Blissdom Canada and hope to get some fitness in before all the conference stuff happens on Friday and Saturday, this will leave my two travel days as my days of rest.
Follow our journey weekly using the Get Fit tab above.
Do you have a walking/exercise buddy?
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Wordless Wednesday ~ A Little Bit of Pre-Bliss
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
New Release Today: The Little Mermaid: Diamond Edition!
My all-time favorite Disney movie is being released today (October 1,2013) as a Disney Diamond Edition, first time on Blu-ray Combo pack! I had this movie on VHS, DVD and now as the new Diamond Edition and I was super excited to share this combo pack with my 6 year old daughter as it arrived the day before her birthday! What a nice surprise to come home and get to watch one of her favorite Disney movies also.
About The Little Mermaid:
Ariel (voiced by Jodi Benson), is a free-spirited
mermaid, who is off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend,
the adorable Flounder (voiced by Jason Marin), and the reggae-singing
Caribbean crab Sebastian (voiced by Samuel E. Wright) at her side. But
it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams
come true—and save her father’s beloved kingdom from the sneaky sea
witch Ursula (voiced by Pat Carroll).
Many Great Bonus Features: It includes 3 hours of bonus features for your little mermaid fans! I know my daughter and I just loved the sneak peak at the deleted character Harold the merman and singing along during the Crab-E-OKE. Other great bonus' include a music video for the song "Part of Your World" Carly Rae Jepsen, Disney Intermission - Press Pause and See What Happens, @DisneyAnimation - Go Behind the Scenes with Today's Top Disney Animators, Under the Scene and more!
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn on behalf of Disney. I received a copy in exchange for this post. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Cover Reveal for Everylasting (Night Watchmen #1) by Candace Knoebel
Here is the Book Summary for Everlasting: What if your destiny lay on the other side of death?
Faye Middleton never believed life would begin with death. She also didn’t believe one could find love after such a tragedy. With one, well aimed bullet to her chest – all of Faye’s well-constructed beliefs are put to the test.
After waking up in an alley covered in her own blood, Faye soon realizes life isn’t always what it seems. Being rescued by a strikingly handsome Hunter named Jaxen, shakes the very morals she had as a mortal, or what she thought would be her morals, if she could only remember who she was and what they were.
Jaxen Gramm never thought true love was an option. Being a Hunter meant he was bound to his Witch...someone completely opposite of Faye. But when he rescues Faye in the alley, she steals his heart with just one look. And after realizing just who she is and her importance to their race’s survival, Jaxen takes her under his wing in hopes to help find her killer.
No side of this war is safe for Faye. Hunted by both good and evil, can Faye learn how to use her newly acquired powers to retrieve the Exanimator before time runs out and Mourdyn, an ancient evil, is released from his cell in the Underground?
The release date is November/December of this year so don't forget to add this book to your Goodreads shelf and keep an eye out for the release!
About the Author:
What if your destiny lay on the other side of death?
Faye Middleton never believed life would begin with death. She also didn’t believe one could find love after such a tragedy. With one, well aimed bullet to her chest – all of Faye’s well-constructed beliefs are put to the test.
After waking up in an alley covered in her own blood, Faye soon realizes life isn’t always what it seems. Being rescued by a strikingly handsome Hunter named Jaxen, shakes the very morals she had as a mortal, or what she thought would be her morals, if she could only remember who she was and what they were.
Jaxen Gramm never thought true love was an option. Being a Hunter meant he was bound to his Witch...someone completely opposite of Faye. But when he rescues Faye in the alley, she steals his heart with just one look. And after realizing just who she is and her importance to their race’s survival, Jaxen takes her under his wing in hopes to help find her killer.
No side of this war is safe for Faye. Hunted by both good and evil, can Faye learn how to use her newly acquired powers to retrieve the Exanimator before time runs out and Mourdyn, an ancient evil, is released from his cell in the Underground?
"Like" Candace Knoebel on Facebook.
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. I received the book in exchange for promotion. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Dressed in White by Jessica Gibson ~ Book Review
Book Summary:
Lorelei Peters had everything she had ever dreamed of. Amazing friends, a sexy boyfriend, and a job that she absolutely loved. Dillon Brockwell was all she had ever wanted. Handsome, successful, and he loved her as much as she loved him. Life was going along the way it was supposed to, until someone from Dillon’s past shows up and shatters everything to pieces. Can Lorelei and Dillon get through all the craziness and make it down the aisle? Or will lies of omission be enough to derail them forever.
Purchase on Amazon - Kindle / Paperback
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Jessica Gibson is a recovering bookaholic, she's down from four books a week to a more reasonable one. It was that love of words and creativity that made her dream about writing her first book. That dream was hidden for years, always put on the back burner, filed away in the "someday" section, until her husband Matt gave her the kick in the pants she needed to actually get off her butt and write. Jessica and Matt live in Southern California and have a serious addiction to reality tv shows like Pawn Stars and American Restoration. They have one son and hope to add to the family in the near future.
My Review:
First off I fell in love with the cover from the first time I saw it pop up on my screen. I didn't even read the summary of the book before I wanted to read it. But don't judge a book by its cover, this book wasn't everything, white, flowery and happy, there were real life relationship struggles, things that really put a bump into the life that is trying to be made. This was a great book about the trials of a relationship and when you know you love someone you will work through anything to be with them, even nasty people from the past. For the most part the characters in Dressed in White were very likeable except one mean ex from the past. I wont tell you much about her but be prepared to be on the edge when she is around. I look forward to seeing where this series goes and learning more about Lorelei and Dillon. There was also a great budding relationship happening between Lorelei's sister and Dillon's brother. They have their own struggles that they deal with during this book and I look forward to seeing what happens next. I did find at times I felt like Lorelei was telling me the story after it happened but I also found the story flowed well and wasn't too fast paced but not slow to lose the reader.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars!
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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.*~
Get Fit: Week 3 of C25K
This past week I have learned a lot about my body and running. I now
know that running isn't as easy as putting on some workout clothes and
running shoes and running down the street. Running really does have a
form and as I read everything I can about running I am learning that I
am a heel striker and this had lead my to my first running injury.
After completing week 1 of the C25K challenge I was feeling really good. I was super energized and less stressed. I even looked forward to my week 2 runs. I did feel a bit of pain in my shins but had a number of people say that is how the body gets used to running and you need to run through the pain. I ran through the pain and for the most part felt great. Last Friday I set out after working an overnight to do my week 2 day 3 run and had to turn around after making it half way. The pain in my right shin was too much to run through especially as I was almost 2.5 k from home and with Miss Molly. I was able to walk home still at a decent pace but no more running that day.
I took the whole weekend off to rest my shins and on Monday morning I headed out for a brisk walk. I was able to complete 4.5K. I decided I would take Tuesday off as I worked overnights. I feel horrible as I took Wednesday off as I needed to get ready for my daughters birthday dinner that night and I was super tired after working overnights I napped for just over an hour so I missed out on my walk.
Thursday morning I headed out right after the kids got on the bus and decided to work 1km and then attempt week 1 of the C25K routine again but I promised I wouldn't push it too much. I was super happy that I was able to complete the whole workout with little pain! Yay! I did however work on toe running vs my heel striking. When I got home I decided I would see if I could make an appointment with my Dr to make sure my shins were not injured and see what he thought of my new runners.
My Dr is a runner and he has been at me for a few years now to do yoga and/or running and I saw the smile on his face when I told him I decided to take up running. He actually said "I am happy to hear this". So to make a long story short, I do have shin splints and my Dr has recommended that I do not run until the pain goes away. I should continue to walk and when my pain does go away I should stick with week one maybe for 2 or 3 weeks just to build up strength and be more ready for week two. He also recommended a local store to go to and get better shoes for my foot strike.
I will be working on my walks and will let you know how the fitting goes and the pain.
Have you ever had a running injury? If so what happened and how did you fix it? What are your favorite kind runners? I would love to hear from you please leave a comment below.
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Cover Reveal & Book Release for Irreplaceable by Angela Graham
Genre: Contemporary Romance/New Adult
Synopsis:
It wasn’t his fault she lay broken and battered. He wasn’t responsible for the injuries covering her bruised body.
Her heart, however, told a different story. She endured the pain of its jagged edges as it shattered against her chest, ripping through the hope she once held. Her spirit was broken, and only one man was to blame for that.
Cassandra Clarke had known better than to trust her all to a man like Logan West. She’d thought he was different—a better man than he’d portrayed to others. A man worth risking it all for.
But she was wrong, and would never make that mistake again.
What happens when you question everything you longed to believe—deny all emotions you still hold for a man unworthy of them?
Faced with Logan’s persistence, Cassandra must find the strength to keep her guard up or risk falling again for the one man her body feels…is irreplaceable.
Purchase a copy on Barnes & Noble, Amazon and don't forget to add it to your Goodreads shelf!
Her heart, however, told a different story. She endured the pain of its jagged edges as it shattered against her chest, ripping through the hope she once held. Her spirit was broken, and only one man was to blame for that.
Cassandra Clarke had known better than to trust her all to a man like Logan West. She’d thought he was different—a better man than he’d portrayed to others. A man worth risking it all for.
But she was wrong, and would never make that mistake again.
What happens when you question everything you longed to believe—deny all emotions you still hold for a man unworthy of them?
Faced with Logan’s persistence, Cassandra must find the strength to keep her guard up or risk falling again for the one man her body feels…is irreplaceable.
Purchase a copy on Barnes & Noble, Amazon and don't forget to add it to your Goodreads shelf!
Excerpt:
The walls surrounding my heart began to shudder and shake, and it took everything I had to keep it hidden.
"Mm-hmm," I replied, my lips clamped together tightly.
His pained eyes searched mine. "You have to give me something to hold onto, sweetheart…a reason to keep fighting when you repeatedly push me away."
I’m here! I wanted to shout out to the world. Wait for me, please, but I stood silent, terrified. How had I become so weak? Seeing him with that woman had pushed me over the edge. He’d want more than I could ever give him, so it was for the best if he walked away. Better to get out now before it was too late.
He nodded after a long, silent pause.
I hated him for bringing me so low, for creating a storm of brewing rage deep in my soul. I hated myself for wanting to take him in my arms and kiss him until I forgot. I had to fight through it to find a way to get him off my porch.
Finally, I opened my mouth and swallowed the rough lump that had formed, speaking in a soft voice. "I was about to take a shower, and though you seem to think that’s our new thing, I prefer to do it alone. Goodbye."
Meet the Author...
I am happily married to my husband of five years, have three wonderful children and a beautiful feline companion that keeps me company during late night writing binges.
My love of reading has been life long but it was in early 2012 when I was inspired to finally put pen to paper and write my first story. Since then I haven't been able to stop, fueled purely by my passion to write a story and create characters that readers will enjoy.
New Adult romances are my go to books to read as well as to write. They are young, fresh and full of hope. What's not to love!
"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Ella Fitzgerald
Author Links:
Review to come soon.....
Grace Under Pressure: A Girl with Asperger's & Her Marathon Mom ~ Book Review
By the time her daughter Grace was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, Sophie Walker’s life had unraveled. Her career was in disarray. She couldn’t sleep. She felt hopeless and useless in her role as a mother. Sophie began to seek the things Grace needed — everything from advocacy for her educational rights and protection from bullying to help with homework and making friends. When Sophie realized she was neglecting her own health and well-being, she decided to train for the London Marathon to raise awareness of Asperger’s and to build the mental and physical resilience she needed to support her daughter. Through running, Sophie ultimately found the strength to battle for Grace’s education, happiness, and future, as well as the inner fortitude to overcome her own frustration and depression. In this book, she documents her and her daughter’s trials and triumphs, offering real-world inspiration for parents and athletes alike.
Purchase a copy through New World Library or on Amazon. Add Grace Under Pressure to your Goodreads shelf today.
About the Author:
Sophie Walker has worked as a journalist for Reuters news agency for fifteen years, reporting news around the globe. She has written about oil, trade, and politics in Washington, and has been foreign correspondent in the UK, traveling to Iraq and Afghanistan with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Connect with Sophie on her blog or Twitter @SophieRunning
My Review:
If you are looking for a book with inspiration you will love this book. Sophie shares with us her everyday struggles with her daughter Grace, the ups and downs of Asperger's and the challenges that can go along with it in the school system. After working many years with people with disabilities and also having a son with many of the signs or "quirks" as I am told by his teachers, I found myself sucked right into this book. I found myself nodding and shaking my head as I have been there with my son. I can't even imagine the challenges that it can be after being diagnosed with autism, we are not there as I have been told there is no way my son is autism (one reason I hate is "he is too smart/sharp to be autistic").
Sophie gets consumed with these challenges and regular life where she forgets to take care of her own well being. Sophie starts running and signs up for Marathons. The whole thought of running and being able to run to clear your mind or de-stress from the day is so helpful. This is a wonderful book of one women's journey to helping take care of herself while helping her daughter and raising my to help other people with Autism. Be prepared for an emotional ride, I found myself in tears by the end. I really want to Thank Sophie for sharing her story with the world. You have really been an inspiration.
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn on behalf of new world library. I received a copy of the above book for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
