Hey all!
I am back from my adventures in California with the hubby and will soon have an in depth post coming from our trip to Sea World San Diego!
I have got some great pictures to share and we had a wonderful day there!
Can't wait to share it!
Wednesday
Saturday
Dawn At Emberwilde
This is not only a historical book but a mystery as well. I have not finished reading it as of yet but will update when I do.
Sarah E. Ladd has always written enjoyable books and I look forward to her new ones.
I prefer non mystery books and just straight historical fiction but she makes it work out in a satisfactory way. I will say that I still prefer just historical fiction, however.
Sarah E. Ladd has always written enjoyable books and I look forward to her new ones.
I prefer non mystery books and just straight historical fiction but she makes it work out in a satisfactory way. I will say that I still prefer just historical fiction, however.
Monday
A Daring Sacrifice
This book review is for the novel "A Daring Sacrifice" by Jody Hedlund.
This book appears to have been modeled more off of Robin Hood but with a female protagonist instead of male.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lady Juliana has been displaced as the rightful heir of her region and has been forced to hide in the woods to protect her true identity. She tries her best to take care of peasants that helped her dad stage an uprising against the rather unsavory Uncle that forcibly took over their lands.
A meeting with a childhood acquaintance just might change everything.
~~~~~~~~~~
I will say that I thought some of the descriptions of torture in this book were not appropriate or necessary for young adult readers or really anyone honestly. It was gruesome in my opinion. With those parts left out this would have been really good but I cannot recommend it because of those scenes. Besides my disagreement with those scenes the book itself was well written and I have enjoyed other things that I have read by Jody Hedlund.
This book appears to have been modeled more off of Robin Hood but with a female protagonist instead of male.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lady Juliana has been displaced as the rightful heir of her region and has been forced to hide in the woods to protect her true identity. She tries her best to take care of peasants that helped her dad stage an uprising against the rather unsavory Uncle that forcibly took over their lands.
A meeting with a childhood acquaintance just might change everything.
~~~~~~~~~~
I will say that I thought some of the descriptions of torture in this book were not appropriate or necessary for young adult readers or really anyone honestly. It was gruesome in my opinion. With those parts left out this would have been really good but I cannot recommend it because of those scenes. Besides my disagreement with those scenes the book itself was well written and I have enjoyed other things that I have read by Jody Hedlund.
Tuesday
The Power of Steam, Y'all!
Hey all! Today I am writing this post on one of my favorite finds for cleaning my floors!
I don't know about all of you but cleaning the kitchen floor is one of my least liked tasks to do!
I had been using one of those mops that you fill up the separate bottle with warm water and your choice of floor cleaner, pop it in and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze the handle again and again to spritz water out as you mopped away with the microfiber pad that attached via Velcro.
I hated doing it this way. I never felt like the floor got clean enough, my hand hurt from all the spritzing and oftentimes I had problems with it clogging if I put too much cleaner it. Not to mention having to hold the mop down super hard to try to get tough spots off the floor, which didn't always work out.
I didn't feel like it was sanitary enough and I wasn't a huge fan of using chemicals on the floors.
But...one day it happened! I came across the awesome thing known as a steam mop! I did some research before making my purchase to decide on brand and model.
I, personally, ended up choosing the Bissell Steam Mop! You can see specs and details of the mop http://www.bestbuy.com/site/bissell-powerfresh-steam-mop-bright-white/6603181.p?id=1218760171746&skuId=6603181
Please keep in mind that Best Buy is just one of the places to purchase this. You can also get this at Target, Sears, Walmart... etc. etc. Best Buy does offer a price match guarantee though so keep that in mind when shopping any of the listed stores. I know a lot of them will do that.
One of the things that I love about this mop is that the mop heads are washable and reusable. I do, however, wish that they would make disposable heads an option as well. (To date: as far as I know, they are not an option).
The other thing that is actually my favorite feature on this mop is the fact that it requires NO CHEMICAL use! All I have to do it put water in the tank (I use distilled to keep it running well), plug it in and click the button for it to heat up(which feels like it only takes a few seconds really) and away I mop!
The steam cleans so much better than the water mixed with floor cleaner that I used to use. If I have any kind of stubborn mess or spot that doesn't want to come up with a pass of the mop all you have to do is hold it over the spot and swipe again until the steam has loosened it enough to come up. No more scrubbing as hard as you can. So much easier!
I honestly could not get over how shiny, fresh smelling and sanitized my floors looked, smelled and felt.
I purchased this mop myself and was given no incentive to write this post. I just honestly love my mop and it has made cleaning a much easier and satisfying task.
As I stated before there are many brands of steam mops to choose from but I did my due diligence in research and this was the mop for me and has continued to be.
I have had this mop close to a year now with zero issues in performance.
LOVE IT!
Never A Bridesmaid: A May Wedding Story
This book review is for Janice Thompsons novel, "Never A Bridesmaid: A May Wedding Story.
This was actually a fairly quick read. I really have enjoyed all of Janice's novels that I have read so far. This one was not my favorite, however.
The story itself is very well written but I guess it just annoyed me how badly I feel the sister gets treated and how patient she is with it all.
~~~~~
Mari is the unselfish sister, who even though her feelings are hurt, seriously steps up to the plate when the chosen Maid of Honor fails to do so. She does not want her sisters wedding ruined by a runaround selfish Maid of Honor and tries to take it upon herself to make sure that doesn't happen for her sister's sake.
~~~~~~~
A lot of the plot line involves the wedding and the not so great chosen Maid of Honor but I like how they added in some romance for Mari which helped keep this flowing well.
Jenny
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive one. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.
This was actually a fairly quick read. I really have enjoyed all of Janice's novels that I have read so far. This one was not my favorite, however.
The story itself is very well written but I guess it just annoyed me how badly I feel the sister gets treated and how patient she is with it all.
~~~~~
Mari is the unselfish sister, who even though her feelings are hurt, seriously steps up to the plate when the chosen Maid of Honor fails to do so. She does not want her sisters wedding ruined by a runaround selfish Maid of Honor and tries to take it upon herself to make sure that doesn't happen for her sister's sake.
~~~~~~~
A lot of the plot line involves the wedding and the not so great chosen Maid of Honor but I like how they added in some romance for Mari which helped keep this flowing well.
Jenny
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive one. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.
Saturday
Blue Tooth Speakers! Get ready to Jam!
I have the great fun of being sent 2 small blue tooth speakers from Best Buy to try out and share my experience with you all.
One of them you can plug into the wall and is slightly bigger than my hand. The other one is ball shaped and is covered in what appears to be silicone that comes in really fun colors! It also has a soft handle built on to attach it to backpacks, belt loops, purses, sports bags or anything you can think of!
I have to say that out of the two of them my favorite is the Insignia Bluetooth Speaker which is the ball shaped one. I like the fact that it is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand but it still packs a wallop of sound! I honestly didn't expect it to have as good of a sound as it does, especially given it's small size! I am also loving all of the fun, bright and pretty colors that this speaker comes in. Definitely rates it high on my list!
It is also splash proof which is a big perk in my book as my husband and I like to go out fishing on the boat and he really enjoys camping in the summer and this speaker does not require a plug in as long as you have charged it up with the provided USB cable prior to use as it has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 6 hours of play on a full charge.
With 6 hours you best be getting your dancing shoes ready! Maybe brush off those singing skills?
This speaker is priced at $19.99 but as of writing this review it is on sale for only $14.99 which is a great deal given the performance that you get with this little wonder!
If you want to check out this speaker, the colors available or better yet purchase one for yourself to enjoy! You can click this link Splash Proof Speaker!
And if you do decide that you have to have one of these awesome little speakers for your own outdoor party than I have a special treat for you! Follow this link 30% off! and you will be able to score 30% off your purchase of one! And I already told you they are on sale too!
I've been talking about all the fun colors and here is a picture to show you!
This is the speaker color that I got in my picture of it in action! Told you guys it was good to clip on backpacks!
The next speaker that we have to talk about is from the same brand as the one above but this blue tooth speaker is a wall plug in one.
The Insignia Plug In Bluetooth Speaker also wireless streams music but it has a built in charger on the back and has a rechargeable battery but it has 2 hours of playback when unplugged and fully charged.
I feel like this speaker is better suited to being in your office or kitchen (who doesn't like tunes when they are cooking?!) vs. taking it outside like we like to do with the other Insignia speaker talked about above. Check out mine! I think you can tell by the pictured toaster that it is in my kitchen ;)
I like the fact that since this was designed as a wireless option for your home use that they built the plug in directly into the body of it versus having to deal with yet another charger and more cords that are separate from it.
Makes things so much simpler to just keep it an all in one unit and sometimes simplicity is exactly what some electronics lack.
While this one is somewhat larger (but not by a whole lot) than the clippable one above this speaker packs a good punch for your music as well! The neutral color of it also helps it blend into other household items so that it doesn't stand out among most decor.
If you want to check out this speaker or buy it for yourself you can follow this link Plug In Speaker!
Hope you guys are having happy weeks and listening to some calming music! Excuse me while I look for my Scottish BagPipe cd!
Jenny
Disclaimer: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free
One of them you can plug into the wall and is slightly bigger than my hand. The other one is ball shaped and is covered in what appears to be silicone that comes in really fun colors! It also has a soft handle built on to attach it to backpacks, belt loops, purses, sports bags or anything you can think of!
I have to say that out of the two of them my favorite is the Insignia Bluetooth Speaker which is the ball shaped one. I like the fact that it is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand but it still packs a wallop of sound! I honestly didn't expect it to have as good of a sound as it does, especially given it's small size! I am also loving all of the fun, bright and pretty colors that this speaker comes in. Definitely rates it high on my list!
It is also splash proof which is a big perk in my book as my husband and I like to go out fishing on the boat and he really enjoys camping in the summer and this speaker does not require a plug in as long as you have charged it up with the provided USB cable prior to use as it has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 6 hours of play on a full charge.
With 6 hours you best be getting your dancing shoes ready! Maybe brush off those singing skills?
This speaker is priced at $19.99 but as of writing this review it is on sale for only $14.99 which is a great deal given the performance that you get with this little wonder!
If you want to check out this speaker, the colors available or better yet purchase one for yourself to enjoy! You can click this link Splash Proof Speaker!
And if you do decide that you have to have one of these awesome little speakers for your own outdoor party than I have a special treat for you! Follow this link 30% off! and you will be able to score 30% off your purchase of one! And I already told you they are on sale too!
I've been talking about all the fun colors and here is a picture to show you!
The next speaker that we have to talk about is from the same brand as the one above but this blue tooth speaker is a wall plug in one.
The Insignia Plug In Bluetooth Speaker also wireless streams music but it has a built in charger on the back and has a rechargeable battery but it has 2 hours of playback when unplugged and fully charged.
I feel like this speaker is better suited to being in your office or kitchen (who doesn't like tunes when they are cooking?!) vs. taking it outside like we like to do with the other Insignia speaker talked about above. Check out mine! I think you can tell by the pictured toaster that it is in my kitchen ;)
I like the fact that since this was designed as a wireless option for your home use that they built the plug in directly into the body of it versus having to deal with yet another charger and more cords that are separate from it.
Makes things so much simpler to just keep it an all in one unit and sometimes simplicity is exactly what some electronics lack.
While this one is somewhat larger (but not by a whole lot) than the clippable one above this speaker packs a good punch for your music as well! The neutral color of it also helps it blend into other household items so that it doesn't stand out among most decor.
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If you want to check out this speaker or buy it for yourself you can follow this link Plug In Speaker!
Hope you guys are having happy weeks and listening to some calming music! Excuse me while I look for my Scottish BagPipe cd!
Jenny
Disclaimer: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free
Wednesday
Blog Tour: Among The Fair Magnolias
This book review is for the novel "Among The Fair Magnolias" which is compilation of Four Southern Love Stories by four different authors.
Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray, Dorothy Love and Elizabeth Musser.
I like when you get more than one story in a book. Whether it is really fleshing out the other secondary characters so that their story features too or one like this where you get four different stories all together in one cover.
In "To Mend A Dream" by Tamara Alexander, you get not only the southern angle to this story but you get a bit of a mystery as well. I like it when the book keeps me guessing as to what is going to happen by the end and to actually get me invested in the characters and how their "lives" turn out.
In "An Outlaw's Heart" by Shelley Gray, You get a story of possible redemption. How hard is it to forgive people who have hurt you. I think pretty much everyone has had someone in their life hurt them, no matter how big or small the hurt is you still need to be able to forgive. Can this story have a happy ending beyond just forgiveness?
In "A Heart So True" by Dorothy Love, You have a girl who loves someone desperately. But her family wishes her to wed someone else to help her family. Will love or family loyalty win out in the end?
In "Love Beyond Limits" by Elizabeth Musser you get a story set around convictions. How strong are they? Can our heroine push them aside to marry the "proper" choice? Or will she follow her heart?
You get a lot of good but different stories in this one novel and is an interesting combination in my opinion.
Hope you all have a good week and have something good to read!
Jenny
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive one. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.
Tamera Alexander, Shelley Gray, Dorothy Love and Elizabeth Musser.
I like when you get more than one story in a book. Whether it is really fleshing out the other secondary characters so that their story features too or one like this where you get four different stories all together in one cover.
In "To Mend A Dream" by Tamara Alexander, you get not only the southern angle to this story but you get a bit of a mystery as well. I like it when the book keeps me guessing as to what is going to happen by the end and to actually get me invested in the characters and how their "lives" turn out.
In "An Outlaw's Heart" by Shelley Gray, You get a story of possible redemption. How hard is it to forgive people who have hurt you. I think pretty much everyone has had someone in their life hurt them, no matter how big or small the hurt is you still need to be able to forgive. Can this story have a happy ending beyond just forgiveness?
In "A Heart So True" by Dorothy Love, You have a girl who loves someone desperately. But her family wishes her to wed someone else to help her family. Will love or family loyalty win out in the end?
In "Love Beyond Limits" by Elizabeth Musser you get a story set around convictions. How strong are they? Can our heroine push them aside to marry the "proper" choice? Or will she follow her heart?
You get a lot of good but different stories in this one novel and is an interesting combination in my opinion.
Hope you all have a good week and have something good to read!
Jenny
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. I am not required to post a positive one. All opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.
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