Friday, June 3, 2016

Book Blogger Hop: June 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 Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews!

Do you reply to every comment on your posts?

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: 

 Sadly, no I don't reply to every comment on here.


Linky List:

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Review - Wonderland: A Coloring Book Inspired By Alice's Adventures

Watson-Guptill; 80 pages; $14.99; Amazon
While "Alice Through The Looking Glass" underperformed at the box-office last weekend, the famous story by Lewis Carroll is still very popular with readers of all ages.

Now available to purchase in bookstores is Wonderland: A Coloring Book Inspired By Alice's Adventures by Amil Shen.

Yes, coloring books are normally for kids, but publishing companies have been releasing a slew of coloring books for adults for the past few years, which are becoming more and more popular.

There is a small amount of text in this coloring book that goes a similar route as the original story. Here you are Alice, where you follow the white rabbit through small door that transports you to Wonderland. There you encounter the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, the King & Queen and many other creatures.

Sarah Sundin’s All Hands on Deck Giveaway

Anchor in the Storm Sarah Sundin

In a time of sacrifice, what price can one put on true love? Pharmacist Lillian Avery and Ensign Archer Vandenberg are about to find out in Sarah Sundin's new book, Anchor in the Storm.

During the darkest days of the war, Arch's destroyer hunts German U-boats in vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast. Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves—and with drowsiness. Could there be a link to the large prescriptions Lillian has been filling? As the danger rises on both land and sea, the two must work together to answer that question. But can Arch ever earn Lillian's trust and affection?

Celebrate the release of Sarah's Anchor in the Storm by entering to win her All Hands on Deck Prize Pack!

anchor in the storm - 400 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A signed copy of Anchor in the Storm
  • Nautical tote bag lined with anchor fabric
  • Anchor necklace made from copper reclaimed from the USS Constitution in Boston during restoration
  • 365 Devotions for Hope by Karen Whiting
  • Shine: Nautical Inspirational Adult Coloring Book
  • "Hope Anchors the Soul" journal
  • Set of two nautical tea towels
LF AIS full group 2 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on June 8th. The winner will be announced June 9th on Sarah's blog.

anchor in the storm - banner

Product Review: Hand Gripper Set




I had owned a pair hand grippers when I was teenager and I didn't get much use out of them. The pair had a 5-pound resistance each,and I thought of them as more of a novelty at time.

Last week, I was sent a Hand Gripper set, which contains a pair of wrist wraps and one adjustable hand grip.

The wrist wraps have a loop that your thumb will slip into; then you wrap the rest of the material around wrist and fasten down with the attached Velcro. The wraps are used to protect your wrists while you're lifting weights. You can also wear the wraps for cross fit, kickboxing, cardio and other workouts.

The Hand Gripper can be adjusted from 10 kg to 40 kg (2 lbs to 88 pounds). It is used to help gain (or regain) strength in your hands.


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Anchor In The Storm by Sarah Sundin



Revell; 400 pages; $14.99; Buy Link; Blog Tour

Technically, it's not officially summer on the calendar, but the sunny weather says otherwise. While many people will be spending a lot time outside gardening, swimming and getting suntans, I would rather sit on the porch with a cup of coffee and read a good book.

Now available to purchase in bookstores is the WWII romance novel, titled Anchor In The Storm, book two in the Waves of Freedom series by Sarah Sundin.

Yes, I said it's a WWII Story! I know I've said that I don't care too much for stories set in this time period, but I will occasionally read one, especially if I'm familiar with the author's other works. I've read a few books by Sarah Sundin in the past, so I thought I would give this one a try.

Anchor In The Storm centers on Lillian Avery, a young woman who moves from Ohio to Boston to become a pharmacist around the time when America entered into WWII. Despite her capabilities to do the job correctly, she is constantly being judged by her boss for every move she does; especially when she asks questions about large prescription orders.

Love was the last thing on Lillian's mind, but this is a romance novel, so you can pretty guess that there is love interest for her -  Ensign Archer Vandenberg, who happens to be her brother's best friend.

Review: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Force And Motion by Jeffery Lang

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Pocket Books; 144 pages; $7.99; Amazon
Yep, I hate to admit this, but I was somewhat of a "Trekkie" during my childhood. My dad watched reruns of the original series and the feature films, so naturally I watched them as well, but I didn't become a big fan until Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted when I was a six-year-old in 1987. Of course I also watched the underdog the franchise, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; though I tuned out for "Voyager" and "Enterprise."

While I was already a big book lover back then, I only recall reading one Star Trek novel, which I believe was a novelizations of one of he movies. Anyhow, with all the hype over next month's Star Trek: Beyond and next year's CBS All-Access series, I've become reinterested in the franchise; watching a few reruns of ST: TNG on BBC America and purchasing the TOS and TNG films DVD sets.

Being in a "Trekkie" mood, I thought I would read one of the new Star Trek novels, which Pocket Books releases a few titles per month. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Force And Motion by Jeffrey Lang was released to bookstores yesterday, which Pocket Books had nicely sent me an advanced copy to review.

"Force And Motion" takes place after events of the novel Star Trek: DS9: Ascendance. It's also a sequel to the ST: TNG episode "The Wounded" and ST: DS9: Gateways novels (Demons of Air and Darkness.) The main story involves Chief Miles O'Brien and Lieutenant Commander Nog traveling in the Runabout Amazon to the private research station "Robert Hooke" to visit O'Brien's old friend Benjamin Maxwell, the former captain of the USS Rutledge and the USS Phoenix.

Ben Maxwell had been stripped of his "captain"rank after he had ordered the USS Phoenix to destroy a Cardassian warship and supply vessel that resulted in the deaths of more than 600 crew members (which took place in the TNG episode "The Wounded.") He was later court-martialed and sentenced to the Starfleet Penal Colony at the Waiheke Island, New Zealand, Earth. Twenty years later, Ben has been rehabilitated and released from prison. He is now working as an maintenance engineer on the "Robert Hooke."

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Spring Reads: Dawn at Emberwilde


Thomas Nelson; 352 pages; Buy Link; Blog Tour
It seems the days have been creeping up on me as I thought had a few more days before the Dawn at Emberwilde book tour started, but as it turns out,  today was the my scheduled day to post my review for the title. Since I hadn't read the book yet, I sat down this afternoon with a cup of coffee and read the entire novel in one sitting.

Dawn at Emberwilde (book two in the Treasures of Surrey series) centers on Isabel Creston, a young woman who has been taking care of her sister, Lizzie, ever since the death of their father. Isabel had attended the Fellsworth School since she was seven-years-old, and she is now a teacher there.

Out of nowhere, Edmund Bradford arrives at the school to inform Isabel that relatives of her mother has been looking for them. The relatives has also offered to Isabel and Lizzie into their home at Emberwilde.

While hesitant at first, Isabel agrees to visit Emberwilde and meet her family, where she is thrown into a strange new world that requires her to wear fancy dresses and socialize with strangers (and possible suitors).