Sunday, January 5, 2014

Review - The Ocean at the End of the Lane


The Ocean at the End of the Lane
By
Neil Gaiman
Narrated by Neil Gaiman
Publisher: HarperAudio
Pub. Date: June 18, 2013
ISBN: 978-0062263032
Duration:  5:48 hours
Genre:
Fantasy
Source:
public library
Goodreads: Goodreads Choice winner for Fantasy (2013)

Review:
Apart from a cute children’s book, Chu’s Day, I had never read anything by Neil Gaiman, so I seized the occasion when I saw I could listen to it through my library audio book service.
I very rarely read fantasy, I can’t even recall what was the last fantasy book I read, but I got caught in the story right away through Gaiman’s voice. His narration is dreamy, hauntingly beautiful and irresistible, a bit like some of his dreadful characters, although in a positive sense!

The 5 Benefits of Green Tea That You Didn`t Know About

Tea is a beverage that is valued and consumed worldwide. It is one of the most inexpensive drinks to consume with chemical benefits that protect your immune system. The research that has been conducted on green tea has proven that it will significantly improve your health by offering anti-inflammatory/antioxidant properties while also protecting your body from harmful viruses.

Mouth and Teeth Health

Green tea contains a natural fluoride that helps to kill bacteria resulting from tooth decay and gum disease. By consuming more than one cup of tea per day you can decrease your risk of oral decay with the help of catechins and polyphenol properties.

Strong Bones

By consuming the beverage often you can decrease your risk of suffering from a bone fracture. Tea helps to diminish bone loss. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components suppress deterioration and increase the amount of cells that help to build strong bones.

Managing your Weight

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Review - Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

Carolina Gold
By Dorothy Love
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: December 10, 2013
ISBN: 978-1401687618
Pages: 336
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/s2Q5l
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/dlove

Review:
 
2014 is officially here and my first book review for the new year is on the new historical romance novel by Dorothy Love, titled Carolina Gold. The novel is inspired by the life of a 19th-century woman rice farmer, Elizabeth Waties Allston Pringle.

Carolina Gold is set in the South Carolina low-country during the post-Civil War era, in which a young woman, Charlotte Fraser returns to home to her family's rice plantation, Fairhaven. Her father had recently passed away, so bringing the plantation back to its former glory will all be on her shoulders, but she is determined to learn how to plant, grow and harvest rice, mostly so she can pay off a few debts.

All of Fairhaven's bondmen are now free, so her first objective is to find workers, but it becomes a major challenge for her, as well as finding farming equipment. She eventually comes to terms that she will need an extra job to make ends, so takes a job tutoring her neighbor's two young daughters.

Nicholas Betancourt isn't just only Charlotte's neighbor, he is also the heir to the Willowood Plantation, but he'll be needing concrete evidence to proof it. As the friendship between the two blossoms into something more, Nicholas sends Charlotte on a quest to unravel a long hidden family secret.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Book Blogger Hop: January 3rd - 9th

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to the new Book Blogger Hop!

If you want schedule next week's post, click here to find the next prompt question. To submit a question, fill out this form.

What to do:

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

  This week's question is submitted by Judy!

Musings and Ramblings
During the holidays there were hundreds of blog hops with giveaways and prizes. How did you keep track of if you what, if anything, you won? 

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list below (enter your Blog Name and the direct link to your post answering this week’s question. Failure to do so will result in removal of your link).


3. Visit other blogs in the list and comment on their posts. Try to spend some time on the blogs reading other posts and possible become a new follower.  The purpose of the hop is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
  

My Answer: 

My answer is simple - I didn't participate in any giveaways! However, I did host a few giveaways. I use Rafflecopter for all my giveaways. I receive an email when the giveaway ends, just in case I don't remember.


Linky List:

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Writing Tips Wednesdays: 5 Tips for Starting Anew in 2014


If you’re anything like me, getting back into the swing of things after the holidays can be tough. I enjoy the holiday season, and I try to take off as much time as possible to spend with friends and family during that time. I do less work in December to make room for family time.

But, after January 1st, going back to writing again can seem like a drag. So, what are some ways to stay motivated for a new year? My favorite ways are listed below:

Review Your Goals

You had goals that you started in the previous year. In 2013, I wanted to increase my blog following and write a book. I accomplished both of those things, but I don’t want to end there. This year, I am modifying my goals to obtain bigger, greater things. I always want to move forward. Having something to work towards is motivating and helps me pull through the after-holiday blues.

Plan Something Fun

Daily work can get boring. To keep motivated to work, planning something fun can be a good option. This could be a fun break a few months into the year, or perhaps a fun goal, like a reading challenge or something you buy yourself after you reach a big goal.

Stick With It

I find that January can be a hard time for staying motivated. In some instances, the best thing you can do is just stick with it no matter what. No matter what you are writing or working toward, just try to make progress every day. After you start to meet your goals, then you will more than likely become more motivated to continue throughout the year.

Don’t Give Up

If you didn’t meet your goals from last year, or didn’t quite get where you wanted to, you may want to throw in the towel. For example, perhaps something you wrote was rejected or passed over in favor of someone else. You don’t have to throw in the towel. There are thousands of opportunities for a person who doesn’t give up. If you continue on your path and don’t give up, eventually, you will end up in a place that makes you happy.

Stay Positive

It is easy to look forward to the year and get overwhelmed. You don’t have to look at the entire year at once. Sometimes, the easiest way to stay positive about the year is just to look ahead to next month or even next week. Staying positive will help you reach your goals- no matter what they are.



How are you facing 2014? Are you facing the year with open arms or dragging your feet a little? 

Brenda is a fellow book-lover and coffee-addict. She is a freelance writer, punctuation nerd, and grammar enthusiast. Her favorite book genres are Science Fiction, Fantasy with a Twist, and Dystopian. Brenda blogs about books, writing and more at Daily Mayo. Find her here on CaW for Writing Tips Wednesdays the first Wednesday of every month.

Follow Brenda on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to updates from Daily Mayo to keep up with all the exciting things in her life; ranging from drinking coffee to get through the day to drinking coffee just for fun.

Trial And Error - Ronnie’s Journey To A Healthy Lifestyle

Its officially 2014! I'm assuming many people (including myself) are waking up bright and early to exercise as part of their New Year's Resolution. I'm kicking off the 1st with an article by a fellow writer (Not me!). 



Ronnie was always a slightly plump girl, even as a child. She had an unhealthy body image from an early age, leading her to compare herself to her ‘thinner’ friends. This lead to years of erratic eating, with periods of extreme dieting annulled by periods of binge eating.

Struggling with Weight and Low Self Esteem

Throughout high school, college and graduate school, Ronnie struggled with her weight, never really finding a solution that was both healthy and sustainable. Every year in college she would gain 10 lb reaching over 200 lb. Then, after her first baby, she decided to try Weight Watchers.

Struggling with a weight problem often leaves a certain mark on one’s personality. Sometimes it makes you more sensitive to criticism and in Ronnie’s case, it left her with a lack of confidence and negative self-image. It was not until she and her husband decided to start a family that she realized that she could not raise a confident and happy child if she herself was lacking in those qualities.


During her first pregnancy she gained 70 lb. She and her husband started Weight Watchers together just two weeks after the birth of her son. She lost 11 pounds in her first month and from then she was hooked.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Blu-ray Review - Don Jon

Don Jon
Directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Starring: Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00FRILRYS
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rating: R

Review:

Available today on Blu-ray and DVD is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut Don Jon, costarring Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson and Tony Danza. Special features include: Making of Don Jon, Don Jon's Origin, Joe's Hats!, Objectified, Themes and Variations and HitRECord Shorts.

Besides from writing the screenplay and directing the movie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt always stars as Jon "Don Jon" Martello, Jr., a womanizer who is addicted to internet pornography. He regular views pornography throughout the day on either his laptop or cell phone. At night he hangs out with friends at a night club, where he picks up random women for one night stands.

Jon's life changes when he sees the beautiful Barbara Sugarman (played by Scarlett Johansson) at a nightclub, which he attempts to work his charms on her, it backfires, she leaves and he ends up picking up a different woman.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Monday Morning Madness #36: End of the Year Post

My original intention was to write the final Monday Morning Madness post for 2013 this morning, but it slipped my mind, so I'm writing this at nearly 10:30 PM on my Dell latitude laptop while I'm halfway watching (or more like listening) Superman III. Yes, I said laptop. I have officially owned a laptop since right around Thanksgiving. It does come in handy for writing late at night! Plus, it connects quickly to the Wifi, where I've been catching up with the last few episodes of The Big Bang Theory and The Vampire Diaries.

Christmas flew by way to quickly, but I did have a wonderful time with my parents, grandmother and uncle. I spent the majority of last week watching a few Blu-rays (Christmas gifts), such as Man of Steel, The Wolverine, Fast & Furious 6, The Conjuring and a few others.

Most people will probably be thinking about their New Year's Resolutions, but I started mine on December 26th, which is basically the same resolution as I had last year. What is my resolution? Well, it is to get healthy. I've been exercising daily since last Thursday and I've been eating more greens, so I think I have a good jump start on my resolution this year.

Last year, I had many ups and downs, including a family emergency, that derailed my resolution, but I'm thinking positive thoughts this year. I even bought myself the new P90X 3 home workout program, which I received today in the mail. According to the FedEx tracking, I should receive a box with some fitness bands tomorrow, so I'll start the workout program on the 1st.