Month: May 2017

May 18, 2017

Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet

Since moving into our home four years ago, I have found a love of gardening. There is something so satisfying about growing your own vegetables! My only trouble? The limited space we have! Which I am sure so many of you can relate to. We have had to learn how to take advantage of every space and planter I can get my hands on. Grow All You Can Eat in Three Square Feet is all the help you will ever need to achieve your gardening goals!

About Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet

Want to grow your own vegetables and food, but don’t have enough space for a garden? Don’t let lack of space get in the way of growing healthy, organic foods at home. Apartment dwellers, schoolteachers, and anyone else who wants to grow a lot of food in a little space will find a great small garden resource in Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet.

Small-space gardeners, find your start in Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet, packed with information on window boxes, potted plants, patio gardening, raised beds, small square-foot gardening, container gardening, and everything else related to growing your own small garden. Whether you want to grow a full garden, grow tomatoes, grow a herb garden, or just pick up great tips for small gardens, Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet is the resource you need.

My Thoughts

This is an excellent guide for those new to gardening and want to maximize their space – either in an urban setting or those with a smaller outside space. The book covers all the basics (and most important aspects): know your plot, know what you want to grow and how to maximize your harvest.

The basics are covered in the beginning: knowing your soil, how lights affects your crop, watering and what you grow your harvest in. My favourite part of this book is how to maximize your space. I was always nervous about not having space to grow enough of my vegetables so I always stuck to tomatoes and spinach. This book showed me how to take advantage of pots (which to be honest I was always cautious to use) and how to arrange them in a visually appealing way. The bonus? What to plant in spring/summer in pots so that you can fully utilize your pots to grow harvests throughout the best months! They have taken the hard work out for you and matched the crops to grow in each period. That is one of the best parts in this book – they help you with the planning of what to grow and what plants grow well together and in what spaces. Planning your crop appropriately is just as important as how you take care of it! I still remember the first year I planted too many tomato plants and a zucchini plant right next to it – it looked like a jungle! The back of the book contains a resource of common crops, pests, diseases and weeds as well as how to deal with them.

This book is a great resource for those starting to plan out their garden and want to maximize all of the available space to them. It helps you plan, organize and continue to grow a great harvest all through the spring and summer months. A must have for gardeners!

You can purchase a copy of Grow All You Can Eat in 3 Square Feet here.

Rating: 5/5

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 15, 2017

Sovereignty Book Review

I used to think I knew all the answers; now I no longer even know the questions. – Goro

About Sovereignty

Under the totalitarian reign of the 23rd century’s world’s government- The Sovereign Regime- control is made possible by the identity chip implanted in every human being, recording everything that is seen, done, and experienced.

No more bank accounts.
No more smart phones.
No more secrets.

When Goro inadvertently overhears an exchange of sensitive information, causing him to confront the truth about his world and prompting him to choose his true loyalties, his dream of revolution kicks into high gear. Goro doesn’t know he has covert intel in his possession both the SR and the resistance movement are desperate to acquire.

Determined to attempt the impossible task of bringing down the world government, he and his closest friends gain access to the key to ultimately deciding who has sovereignty.

But who will get to Goro first: The resistance or the Sovereign Regime?

My Thoughts

Welcome to a whole new world in the future, where the government has complete control. They can track your every step, every purchase, every intimate moment of your life all with a little chip in your arm. No conversation is safe – not even in your own home. Scary right? Even scarier that the people have no control to stand up as harsh military punishments await any person who breaks the rules (no matter how small).

It is in this backdrop, we meet Goro. Goro is a young man who seems to have what any teenager needs – just not the freedom to live the way he wants to. He is full of spunk, adventure and quick to act without sometimes thinking. In one horrific moment, his life is changed forever – he becomes a wanted man both by the government and by the resistance. Without realizing it, he carries the key to possibly defeating the government. This was a plan set in motion long before his birth.

The intensity steps up at this point in the novel and we are introduced to the world of the resistance: training, intelligence and new relationships. Goro has to face his past and decide what his future will be.

The novel is well written and while slower paced at the beginning, the novel really takes off about halfway through the book. There is some mild language and violence so I would definitely recommend it for an older youth and adult.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 4/5

Book Trailer

About the Author

With master’s degrees in education, special education, and counseling, Anjenique “Jen” Hughes is a high school English and math teacher who loves teaching and mentoring young people. She enjoys traveling and has worked with youth on five continents. Saying she is “young at heart” is an understatement; she is fluent in sarcasm, breaks eardrums with her teacher voice (students have complained when they were within earshot), and cracks sarcastic jokes with the best of her students. Her work with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse youth has inspired her to write books that appeal to a broad variety of students seeking stories of bravery, perseverance, loyalty, and success.

The Giveaway

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 15, 2017

Waves of Murder Book Spotlight

School’s out for the summer!

About Waves of Murder

Kindergarten teacher, Fiona Quinn is looking forward to spending some quality time in her yard and with her boyfriend, Detective Nathan Landry. However, Fiona’s plans get squelched when her mother volunteers her to edit a manuscript for famous romance author, Wyla Parkes.

What’s so bad about that? The author insists Fiona must work on the manuscript at her beach cottage on Presque Isle–three hours away from her yard and Nathan. Spending six weeks in an adorable cottage on a private beach doesn’t really seem all that bad until people start turning up dead—beginning with the author! Fiona’s summer of sun and sand is instantly transformed into a murder investigation. Can Fiona and Nathan crack the case or will the murderer get away on a wave of deceit?

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

For twenty-six years C.S. McDonald’s life whirled around a song and a dance. She was a professional dancer and choreographer. During that time she choreographed many musicals and an opera for the Pittsburgh Savoyards. In 2011 she retired from her dance career to write. Under her real name, Cindy McDonald, she writes murder-suspense and romantic suspense novels. In 2014 she added the pen name, C.S. McDonald, to write children’s books for her grandchildren. Now she adds the Fiona Quinn Mysteries to that expansion. She decided to write the cozy mystery series for her young granddaughters, and has found that so many adults love them too.

Ms. McDonald resides on her Thoroughbred farm known as Fly by Night Stables near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband, Bill, and her poorly behaved Cocker Spaniel, Allister.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: This is a spotlight post, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 12, 2017

The Dragon Orb

In The Dragon Orb, the fate of a kingdom rests on the shoulders of three young wizards who couldn’t be more different.

About The Dragon Orb

Bakari is a brilliant scholar wizard who’s more at home in a library than a battlefield. Alli is a beautiful young battle wizard whose grace in battle is both enchanting and deadly. Roland is a counselor wizard with a seemingly limitless depth of untapped power — and the ego to match it.

As the magical barrier protecting the kingdom of Alaris from dangerous outsiders begins to fail, and a fomenting rebellion threatens to divide the country in a civil war, the three wizards are thrust into the middle of a power struggle.

When the barrier comes down, the truth comes out. Was everything they were taught about their kingdom based on a lie? Will they all choose to fight on the same side, or end up enemies in the battle over who should rule Alaris?

My Thoughts

The Dragon Orb is an exciting, magical adventure that both young adults and adults alike can fall in love with. Mike takes readers on an exciting adventure through the wizards world and the politics that divide the wizards and normal citizens. The plot is new, exciting and you never know what to expect next. Mike brings the story and characters to life and makes you feel as though you are a part of the story, that they are your friends, your enemies and it is your home at stake. This is one of my favourite parts about his writing and this story – you are drawn right into the story and become one with the novel.

All three main characters, Bakari, Alli and Roland are my favourites. These each bring a unique spin to the novel and have quirks that you just can’t help but love. While friends (well competitive friends!) and wizards, they are each very different. It is their differences that make them special and it is only when they work together that they can protect their kingdom. While I initially fell in love with Roland’s ego and joy of life, Roland emerges in my mind as an exceptional wizard, friend and warrior – quite the surprise!

The Dragon Orb is a definite must read with young adults (and adults who love well written fantasy novels!) – they will love the plot, characters and the battle for the kingdom. I can’t wait to read the second installment in this series.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Mike has recently released the first book in a new YA/Teen fantasy series – The Alaris Chronicles, following his 2016 trilogy of The Cremelino Prophecy. Please join his mailing list at www.MichaelSheltonBooks.com to continue to get information on these stories and any future publications.

Mike was born in California and has lived in multiple states from the west coast to the east coast. He cannot remember a time when he wasn’t reading a book. At school, home, on vacation, at work at lunch time, and yes even a few pages in the car (at times when he just couldn’t put that great book down). Though he has read all sorts of genres he has always been drawn to fantasy. It is his way of escaping to a simpler time filled with magic, wonders and heroics of young men and women.

Other than reading, Mike has always enjoyed the outdoors. From the beaches in Southern California to the warm waters of North Carolina. From the waterfalls in the Northwest to the Rocky Mountains in Utah. Mike has appreciated the beauty that God provides for us. He also enjoys hiking, discovering nature, playing a little basketball or volleyball, and most recently disc golf. He has a lovely wife who has always supported him, and three beautiful children who have been the center of his life.

Mike began writing stories in elementary school and moved on to larger novels in his early adult years. He has worked in corporate finance for most of his career. That, along with spending time with his wonderful family and obligations at church has made it difficult to find the time to truly dedicate to writing. In the last few years as his children have become older he has returned to doing what he truly enjoys – writing!

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 11, 2017

Becky Wade’s ‘True to You’ Prize Pack and $100 Giveaway

Do opposites really attract? John and Nora might just be the perfect match. Find out in True to You, book one in Becky Wade’s new series! Genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now. Former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he’s diagnosed with an inherited condition, he’s forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother. Finding the answers they’re seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.

Celebrate the launch of Becky Wade’s new series by entering to win a fabulous prize pack and $100 cash card!

One grand prize winner will receive:

A copy of True to You
A $100 Visa cash card
A prize pack hand-picked by Becky

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on May 30. The winner will be announced May 31 on the Litfuse blog.