Saturday, August 31, 2019

Debut Novel/Author Showcase: Thaddeus of Beewicke by Louis Sauvain

In this debut high fantasy epic, author Louis Sauvain creates an ensemble of unique characters who endure precarious situations on the road to the Collegium Sorcerorum, the College of Sorcerers. This first in three separate trilogies is set in the Dark Ages where Silvestrus of Somerset, Master Sorcerer, seeks apprentices with latent gifts. His first protege' and the protagonist is Thaddeus, who at age 14 shows great potential. They set out for the College in a cart pulled by the sentient mule, Asullus. As they travel, the mule befriends the young boy. Along the way, they are joined by two others -- Anders of Brightfield Manor, a scholar and Rolland of Fountaindale, a thief.

"To be a sorcerer," enumerates Silvestrus, "one must have inborn talent and the strength of Belief. Any Sorcerer's desire can take shape in the present world exercised by sheer will alone. However," he adds with caution, "with each use of Sorcery a Sorcerer's life span is shortened by an unknowable amount." 
Young men discovering their talents of sorcery see themselves as invincible, a shortened lifespan seems little sacrifice. Then Silvestrus adds one last requirement -- before you can command the use of Sorcery, a selected youth must first be joined in true love. This act of oneness must transcend youthful urges or one's soul can be lost forever. 

In this first volume of the College of Sorcerers Series, on the night of the celebration of the solstice, Thaddeus beholds a vision of the formation of the Earth in the 'Cauldron of Creation.' He learns that Demons are responsible for this violent act, which accounts for the imperfections found in their invention. He also learns these same Demons lie trapped inside the Earth's crust ever striving to break free so they may devour their sole rival for power over the Earth -- Mankind. It becomes clear that these new apprentices are to fulfill a prophecy set in motion long before their lives began. As they reach the College of Sorcery Thaddeus knows that he is home.

The 411:

WOW! I really loved this book even though I do not love books that have complicated names. Thaddeus was the easiest for me and everything else was glanced over. The book is being compared to Harry Potter meets Stand by Me. 

The book originally came out in 2012 but is now released with a new, more dynamic cover which definitely will entice younger readers although I found myself wondering if it really is a young adult book ahhhh yeah...there is sex but it is only eluded to and maybe young readers won't pick up on it.   

A stranger named Silvestrus comes to town with his talking mule Asullus.  Thaddeus' parents are offered gold for him to leave with this stranger who turns out to be a sorcerer with the promise of an education.  Along the way, Thaddeus and other young boys (Anders and Rolland) that the "master" picks up meet demons, ghosts, thieves, beasts, trolls, and more including Fairies who get Thaddeus drunk. Hmm...

I found it to be an interesting read. There are a lot of characters but the main characters are the focal and this is a travel journal with the boys getting to the "collegium" toward the end.  

Readers will love the relationships, the suspense, adventure, fantasy and the magic. This is a well written book with much below the surface.  

The book comes out October 2019 and will be 1st of 3 trilogies at the College of Sorcery. 

To Purchase:




Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was offered. 

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Old Post About Wills - A Fill In

UNCATEGORIZED

Manic Monday – Will

Will the Word of the week from Mo at It’s A Blog Eat Blog World brings up 3 very specific thoughts for me.
1 – Will – The document that will enpower me long after I am gone to make sure that my children are taken care of should their father and I leave them before their adulthood.
We have talked about who we would want to take care of the kids and we have spoken to that person as well but we have yet to actually pay a lawyer to do the paper work for us.
A friend of mine recently did her will with her husband and again I am thinking about it.
2 – Will – I ever get out of debt with the IRS. This year my husbands company did well but not well enough for us to pay them the huge sum of money we owe. If you have ever owed the IRS you know their fees are higher than the Mafia (why did I captialize mafia?)
3 – Will my son be going to Kindergarten this year? I am still on the fence about this. I am not sure which one I should be beefing for September. Do I celebrate the whole big boy going to Kindergarten or should I show him his new preschool? I am going to take the next two months and decide by August. The school is ok with this decision so why not take my time?

More Memes From 2008

MEME

Friday Fill In

1. Birthdays are once a year.
2. Autumn is my favorite season because of the colors and the crisp air.
3. I feel my best when I am home with my kids and husband.
4. Food is my favorite food!
5. First impressions are sometimes unfair.
6. The best piece of advice I ever received was discipline with love in your heart.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching a movie with my husband tomorrow my plans include relaxing with the kids and husband and Sunday, I want to do some blogging.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Getting Myself Prepared For Back To School



Back to School is often a sad realization for me. I am not one who gets excited about my kids returning. You can see my video about my sadness here. I love spending time with my kids and getting the summer off to be with them. They go back next week and I head back to my preschool class who I also love.  There is some prep to getting back to class. I started taking Vitamin C last month along with my Vitamins and started stocking up on cold products like lozenges and hand sanitizers. I use so much of it. Have you ever looked into the ingredients of your current hand sanitizer? Not all hand sanitizers are created equal and while the tingling sensation and potent smell of alcohol in most sanitizers leave you with the feeling of killed germs, one company is combining the powers of nature and science to bring you better hand hygiene.



Elyptol takes on of my favorite scents eucalyptus which also has healing properties. They use the eucalyptus oil combined with naturally sourced pure ethanol to bring you a healthy and eco-friendly way to properly sanitize your skin and other surfaces. Infused with natural botanicals and eucalyptus essential oils, Elyptol won’t leave your hands dry, cracked and chapped after use. These innovative products kill germs and moisturize your hands all in one! Thank God for that because between the gloves, hand washing and hand sanitizer my hands are cracked and dry all the time.


Made for consumer and professional use, Elyptol carries a variety of products including hand sanitizing gels, wipes, sprays and hard surface wipes. Great for moms, traveling, music festivals, cold & flu season and the gym, Elyptol’s Hand Sanitizer Gel, Hand Sanitizer Wipes, and Hand Sanitizer Spray are already best sellers. 

More Reasons to Discover the Green Hygiene of Elyptol:
  • Kills 99.99% of germs
  • Paired eucalyptus oil to equally natural sanitizing ingredients – pure ethanol derived from sugar cane and corn -- this combination brings you improved efficacy in eliminating germs and also a safer and gentler product
  • Produces products that are antimicrobial (not just antibacterial), killing a wider range of germs
  • Uses botanical food grade ethanol and eucalyptus ingredients known for soothing and healing aching bones and irritated skin
  • Simplicity of combining pure ethanol with eucalyptus oil
  • Natural product, don’t need moisturizer
  • Ranked #1 sanitizer on EWG’s website with a toxic rating of 1

To Find Out More About Elyptol visit their website

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was offered and all opinions are my own.

My Life In Photos - Aug 8 - Aug 16

August 8 - After a sudden downpour ended I walked out the kitchen door to see my very own rainbow. I have never noticed one from my house and was so excited to see this one. After every storm Facebook is filled with rainbow photos from friends who spot these beauties and I am always a little bit jealous.

August 9 - Headed to the deck this morning to read some review books. My book mark was some Forget-Me-Nots which were perfect for these books about Faith!


August 10 - I was dying to try that age app everyone else has been posting about.   I can honestly tell you I never looked like yesterday or today although they are beautiful. I am definitely more familiar with tomorrow. FaceApp is such a fun app if you have the chance check it out. It is free.

August 11 - We finally got our first Morning Glorys of the season.


August 12 - Headed to Millbrook with a good friend the day before my birthday.  Ran into a friend, went to the cemetery, drove past my old house, stopped for lunch then headed back home were we spent another hour on her boat. It was a wonderful day. The most relaxing of my summer.


August 13 - The same friend (Mad) who drove me to Millbrook yesterday also drive me to drop grab a rental car this morning because my car has been in the shop since the 3rd took me to breakfast for my birthday. These are her two babies staring us down as we sat in her driveway.


August 14 - The only pictures I took today were of Luna. She looked so comfy on a very uncomfortable ledge.


August 15 - Goddess and her peeps at a friend's birthday party.


August 16 - I am loving the bright yellow of the sunflowers on my deck. So cheerful.


Anyone Else Sad That It Is Almost Back To School Time Or Am I Just Crazy?

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

My Life In Photos - Aug 1 - Aug 7

August 1 - Goddess and I were dog sitting for a friend. We have been watching him for years but he has changed so much in the past year. He seems so much older.


August 2 - This is Rocky. Look how tiny he is! We have been watching him for about 10 years.


August 3 - This was the day my boys went for a slow walk around the block. My husband getting over pneumonia and my son walking after not being able to walk straight due to Vestibular Neuritis. I was so proud watching them walk together.


August 4 - My cats love to sit on this half wall. I hated it when the kids were small and really hate it now with the cats. At least the kids never sat on it.


August 5 - Nothing taken

August 6 - Oddly enough the only photo I have for the 6th is a screenshot I took online of a photo of the kitchen from my family home when I was a kid. It looks exactly the same.  Found on real estate sites. Have you ever put in your old address?
August 7 - This was a shoot I did with Goddess for a pair of Haram Pants I reviewed. She looks so cute.


2 Preschool Books Your Kids Will Love



Goodnight, Starry Night (Peek-a-Boo Art) by 



Introduce little ones to famous works of art in this peek-through bedtime lullaby, and spark curiosity, joy, and learning!
Goodnight glowing moon up high.
Goodnight stars, goodnight sky.
Goodnight baby, snug in bed.
Time to rest your sleepy head.

Discover the perfect art introduction for every child, and every home. Combining a soothing bedtime lullaby with vibrant colors and peek-through pages, this board book provides a gentle look at some of the most beloved, accessible, and well-known artwork in history. A die-cut on every spread gives an exciting clue to the art on the next page, keeping little ones (and caregivers!) curious as each page becomes a magical, peek-through reveal. Light back matter provides additional historical information about the featured artwork and artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Berthe Morisot, Diego Rivera, and more!

The first title in a new Cartwheel series, Peek-a-Boo Art, Goodnight, Starry Night offers an exciting introduction to diverse pieces of artwork, builds creative vocabulary, and celebrates the importance of imagination and art in young readers!

The 411:

This is such a cute book. My daughter and I love Starry. My class is going to love  it. The little peek a boo gives you a little peek into the next "artwork". 


This a a wonderful way to show children amazing art work like Vincent Van Gogh and Berthe Morisot. 

It is the perfect size for little hands. I cannot wait for my class to see this book next month.





Future Engineer (Future Baby) by



Flip a switch. Turn a gear. Could Baby be an engineer? Find out in this STEM-themed addition to the Future Baby series!
Engineers want to know how things work. And so does Baby!

Does Baby have what it takes to become an engineer? That's a positive! Discover all the incredible ways that prove Baby already has what it takes to become an engineer in whatever field they choose, be it electrical, mechanical, civil, or more! Includes lots of fun engineer facts to help foster curiosity and empower little ones to keep trying . . . and learning!

Future Baby is an adorable board book series that takes a playful peek into an assortment of powerful careers and shows little ones how their current skills match up with the job at hand. With Future Baby, babies can be anything!

The 411:

OMG what a cute book. This is adorable and one I would love to give as a gift at all upcoming baby showers. Who doesn't dream about their kids being engineers one day? I know I do.





To Purchase:

Inspiration for the School Year - Get Them Off The Phones and Computers And Back To Reading

Oh man...this summer hasn't been good to our family. The kids didn't enjoy their summer but the fact is that school will be starting soon so I have been making a conscious effort to read with my daughter and get her face out of her phone and off her computer. She will need to be ready for her new role as a high school student so I was happy to have these books to read with her.

Goddess is not a reader but if I read with her she will deal with it.

USD: $22.99 | ISBN 9781760634636
Jul. 2019

A Girl’s Guide to Kicking Goals delves into everything from body changes and social media to managing stress and beating the bullies.


This was our favorite of all the books. Laura and Steph did a wonderful job of creating a handbook that all tween, teen, and young adult females should read. Honestly, get your girl this book. We loved reading both girls account of things. The book is broken up into Laura's page and Steph's page and great friendship photos of the girls. As a mom I loved how real they were. They cover all the things I currently worry about for my daughter in this world especially about separating the online life from the real life. This is soooo important. When my daughter started asking about "likes" on social media comparing her art to her peers seductive photos and how the girls get so many likes on a blurry mirror photo with a girl making a duck face compared to her artwork that she puts hours into getting so few. I can only tell her that these things don't matter but Laura and Steph say it in a way that kids will understand. It really doesn't matter in life!






By Natasha Kaufman
USD: $13.99 | ISBN 9781782407676

Mindfulness is a way of being, and this book will help you lay the foundations for a mindful future. 
 



The 411:

This one was a little hard for us to get into. It wasn't until we got to the exercises that we started to really enjoyed it. I totally agree with Natasha that we as a people need to be more mindfulness. I constantly tell my kids that life isn't behind a glass screen. They need to live it!

There are many helpful instructions included in this book along with the guided meditations.  I think I love them most of all.

Being mindful is good for your health and mental well being.

I highly recommend this book.



USD: $25.00 | ISBN 9781781318270

Discover the inspiring voices that have changed our world, and started a new conversation.  


I honestly love quotes. This is a wonderful collection of speeches from inspirational woman throughout history.

Each woman has her own spread which includes why she is included, her speech and an illustration. 

There were many woman we knew and some we had never head of.








By Quotabelle
USD: $17.99 | ISBN 9781631065309 | Oct. 2018

Grit & Grace is a collection of quotes, thoughts, and advice from female pioneers to inspire young girls and women who want to lead.

 
OMG...this book is just so pretty with it's pink cover and the gold lettering. Beautiful and gift worthy!


There are so many quotes. I took photos of a bunch of them for my social media. The pages were pretty, the quotes great and the women included inspirational.







All these books are great!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product for my honest opinion. No monetary compensation was offered.