Exploring New Books with Fitzhenry & Whiteside Publishers

Reading plays an important part in our life. One of Emily's favourite things to do is to curl up and read a book books with me. If she had it her way, I'm sure she wouldn't even stop to eat. The little bookworm...she even sleeps with her books over her teddy bear most nights!

I'm always happy to indulge her appetite for learning by reading as much as we can, whenever we can. I was very excited to receive a package from Fitzhenry & Whiteside with some new additions to our growing library.

Inside were two new books!

:) She's happy with her new books! (Don't mind the SOA blanket in the background)

The Princess Fables Book Blast ($50 Amazon GC/Paypal Giveaway)

 

About the Book

Title: The Princess Fables | Author: Marc Clark | Illustrator: Eric Hosford | Publication Date: December 5, 2013 | Publisher: Seven C's Productions | Pages: 115 | Recommended Ages: 3+ Summary: The Origins of THE PRINCESS FABLES: When the author's daughter was just beginning the first grade, she was not happy about school. So when he would wake her each morning, whatever she would say to get out of going became the subject for a PRINCESS FABLE. If she'd say, "I don't want to," he'd make up a tale about The Princess Who Always Said, "I Don't Wanna". If she pulled the covers over her head, he'd tell her the story of The Princess Who Hid Under The Covers. By the end of each Fable he'd have her dressed and ready for school, with her eyes wide open and full of hope...

THE PRINCESS FABLES are eleven inspirational stories for young girls who may still dream of being a Princess. Each Princess embarks on an adventure of self discovery and along the way, learns about the importance of trust, devotion, courage and the power of love. These classic tales transport little girls to a time and place where they are the heroines and can create their own happy endings.

Every delicate pen and ink illustration reflects the classic fairy tale drawings of the late 19th century. Award: The Princess Fables was just awarded an Honorable Mention at the 2014 Los Angeles Book Festival.

The Singalong Book Club Subscription Giveaway

Welcome to another great Subscription Spring Giveaway

The Singalong Book Club is a lovely, experience based subscription service that delivers a 24 page book, a CD and an app for you to share with your little each month.  

This is a new service to me, and one that I think is right up our alley. Emily and I love to read together. It is one of our favourite ways to spend time together. Right now she can't get enough Robert Munsch and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I know she would get a kick out of singing along to her storybook.

To read a full review of the Singalong Book Club box visit The World of ContestPatti, discover the wonderful experience that is the Singalong Book Club and how it would be a perfect gift.

The Singalong Book Club have been generous enough to offer one entrant of this giveaway, a one month subscription. Enter on the Giveaway Tools form below, for a chance to win.

Entry-Form


Disclaimer: Living As We is not responsible for prize fulfillment. 

Di Decor Handcrafted Jewelry Review and Giveaway

Di Decor is an Etsy shop packed full of handmade works of art. From crocheted necklaces, to the beaded cuff bracelets that really caught my eye, Anna's selection kept my attention for quite awhile.

I admired her beaded cuff bracelets the most. The geometric quality to almost all of her patterns is something that I often look for in choosing my accessories. I appreciated her use of neutrals, colour blocking, as well as the inclusion of some bright pops of colour in between. I almost couldn't take my eyes off of this blue chevron pattern, or this slightly more whimsical silver and yellow cuff.

I was sent a beautiful chevron cuff bracelet for review. All the way from Poland, it arrived quickly, packaged elegantly in a little black gift box and nestled in a bed of coloured decorative stuffing. It was presented so nicely I (almost) felt bad taking it out.

I can really see and feel the patience and love that went into making this bracelet. Made using black, silver, and amber glass beads, the iridescence of the amber bead really adds that special touch. I love that when you see it from different angles, it took on a new appearance and played with your eyes. I can see this pairing well with pretty much any outfit because of the neutral colours, which is one of the reasons I chose it.

I tend to prefer a more tight fitting bracelet, but with warmer weather on its' way in, I happen to like that this one is a little bit looser. The closures are two easy, squeeze and pull type clasps, which made it really easy to get it on and off on my own. I liked that they were silver plated and complimented the overall look of the cuff, too.

All around, beading is one of those crafts I full-heartedly respect. Artisans spend hours coming up with distinct patterns, choosing just the right colour scheme and then figuring out how to put it all together. I am happy to have one of Anna's pieces as a part of my jewelry collection.

Additionally, for any of you craftier-than-I folk, if there's a pattern that especially calls out to you, download it to make on your own for less that $3.50! I'm even considering learning how to bead, just so I can make a few for friends and family. They would make great gifts!

**Receive a 15% discount when you use coupon code: SPB042014 . Valid until September 30, 2014, and even applies to the items that are already on sale!!**

You can find Di Decor on Etsy, and keep up to date on Facebook for new designs, and any upcoming sales or giveaways in the future.

To Buy: Beaded Chevron Bracelet

***Giveaway***

Prize: One lucky winner will receive a beaded cuff bracelet of their choice, plus a second winner will receive their choice of one of Anna's other creations from her Fiber Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry, or SALE sections.

Eligibility: Worldwide (excluding Quebec), 18+.

Entry Period: April 28, 2014 - May 13, 2014 11:59pm EST

Rules: See Rafflecopter for full terms and conditions. By entering you agree to these terms.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

A winner will be chosen at random, and will be contacted by email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email before another winner will be selected at random. The winner will be announced in the rafflecopter form once they have confirmed/responded to my email.   

Be sure to check out these other fantastic giveaways to enter! 

Would you like to see your products featured in a review/giveaway similar to this one? I would love to work with you! Please feel free to email me: oddball2003@hotmail.com .

I received sample products in order to conduct my review. As always, opinions are 100% honest and my own. 

We Didn't Plan on a Trip to the ER

Yesterday was one of those days that hit you like a bag of bricks.

 

Getting ready for bed last night, Emily fell and split her chin open on the side of the tub. At first I thought she just bumped her lip, but then I saw blood on her neck and automatically started shaking.   My brother helped us make our way to the emergency room. Since this was my first time having to make the call between a Band-aid and stitches, I figured we should go just to be sure.

She was back to herself after a few minutes. Me, I shook the entire time, from home to hospital, and back home again. Felt like I was going to throw up at any given moment, but she kept me busy with all of the toys in the waiting room and her many questions.

It seemed like it took forever to call her name. We followed the nurse back, and sat in the room waiting for the Dr. to come and take a look. By this time it is just about 3am. We went with the stitches over the glue to reduce scarring and risk of infection.

As usual, Em was braver than I was. They rolled her up in a blanket, and covered her face, the nurse holding her head still. Not a single tear, though I did notice her little lower lip quiver at the end. It took everything I had in me not to cry while I watched them stitch her up. I couldn't even say anything to the nurses when she was talking to me because my voice was trembling.

I'm assuming it is never going to be easy to watch your children go through injuries, or hurt of any kind for that matter. If you had asked me, a few months ago, what I would do in a situation like this, I would have told you that I would probably have a panic attack, and cry. I'm so thankful, and proud to say I did neither of those things.

5 hours, 4 My Little Pony stickers, and 3 stitches later, I feel more like a Mom than I ever have before. I guess this is just another example of finding strength you didn't know you have, when you, and the people that rely on you, need it the most.

I'm so happy that she is okay, and in good spirits. She looked at me when she sat up on the hospital bed, and said, "All better?"

"Yes, my dear...all better." Of course I was still holding back tears, but this time out of relief and  happiness, over fear.

Have you ever had one of those days that you had to dig in deeper than you ever thought you could?

Wee Squeak® Review and Giveaway

Emily takes after me in many ways, one of which is her indifference to wearing shoes. It can sometimes be a fight to get her to put anything on her feet, even socks, so I am always on the hunt for fun ways to encourage her to wear shoes.

I came across Wee Squeak® on one of my searches, and was automatically drawn in by their concept as well as their adorable shoes. I can remember being a kid and wanting shoes that lit up with every step, and it was great to see a different spin on the idea. These one's squeak with every step! How neat is that? When I was offered a pair to review, I was really excited.

I asked Emily if she would like to try out a new pair of fun shoes, she said, "Yeah! Shoes!"

I pulled up their selection, and we browsed through it together. I knew, here in Winnipeg, it is still a little too soon for sandals (since we still have snow on the ground) so I tried to keep her looking more at the boot options available or running shoes/tennis shoes. Immediately when she saw the pink and brown pair she pointed, " This one!"

I found myself wondering what size she was, since she's been going through some growth spurts lately. Not having the chance to try shoes on, and choosing a size blindly was a little scary, but my stress was eased when I noticed a sizing chart. I found it to be very helpful, and straight forward.

Shipping was super quick, and came just in time for our snow to have melted almost completely away. Emily tried them on right away. They fit pretty well, with just a little bit of extra wiggle room, which I am thinking will be perfect to fit through the summer (maybe even into the fall). Durability is important to me when making my purchases, and these shoes definitely seem like they will stand up to the many tests my busy toddler is going to put them through. The sole is thick and sturdy, perfect for walking and running around.

 

Her facial expression when she realized the squeak factor was priceless, and I wish I had the camera out at that point. She must have run up and down the hallway for a good ten minutes, laughing because of the noises she was making. The squeak was, by far, her favourite part of the shoes.

My favourite part, besides watching and listening to Emily's excitement, was that I could remove the little pieces that made the shoes squeak, for those moments that I needed (or wanted) quiet. Each pair of shoes comes with a set of "silencers" that you can use to replace the squeaky plugs, meant to prevent anything from getting stuck in the opening. This makes it super easy to change them back to their original squeaky state!

These shoes will be great for our many adventures this spring and summer! There are also boy styles available, and a sale section for anyone interested in saving some extra money. For more information you can stop by their website, and connect on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

***Giveaway***

 

 The folks over at Wee Squeak® have kindly offered Living As We readers the chance to win a $50 gift card to purchase some new, fun shoes for your little one!

Prize: One lucky winner will receive a $50 Gift Card to spend at Wee Squeak®

Eligibility: US/CAN, 18+ (Quebec excluded)

Entry Period: April 23, 2014 - May 8, 2014 11:59pm EST

Rules: See Rafflecopter for full terms and conditions. By entering you agree to these terms.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A winner will be chosen at random, and will be contacted by email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email before another winner will be selected at random. The winner will be announced in the rafflecopter form once they have confirmed/responded to my email.   

Be sure to check out these other fantastic giveaways to enter! 

Would you like to see your products featured in a review/giveaway similar to this one? I would love to work with you! Please feel free to email me: oddball2003@hotmail.com .

I received sample products in order to conduct my review. As always, opinions are 100% honest and my own. 
 

Life in the Palace Book Blast ($50 Amazon GC/Paypal Giveaway)

 

Life in the Palace by Catherine Green “We need to talk,” Tal said. Then I knew it was going to go badly. ‘We need to talk’ is the conversational equivalent of walking into your basement without turning on the light, on a dark and stormy night, when a known psychopath is on the loose. You might as well cut to the chase and slit your own throat.

Chloe Diaz assumed three things: that when Tal said that she was one of The People sent from heaven to maintain the cosmic balance, it was code for ‘I’m a pamphlet distributing, incense burning, religious weirdo;’ that the gorgeous Seth Wilks would never be her soul mate and that she’d never have to choose between them. Chloe was wrong.

Now the future of the world is in her hands, but what if price is too great to pay?

Download a FREE copy now!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Chloe on Facebook * Seth on Facebook

Summary: After a lifetime in the shadow of her sister, Chloe is severely phobic of the chronically cool. Seth is everything she avoids; a pre-med philosophy major who works in a bar, plays in a band and is so good looking that grown women stare at him in the street. But it’s hard to say no to your soul mate. Thinking she’s maxed out her supply of destiny, Chloe settles down to enjoy the happily-ever-after.  

Tal says that she’s one of The People sent from heaven to maintain the cosmic balance. Chloe assumes this is code for ‘I’m a pamphlet distributing, incense burning, religious weirdo.’ Actually Tal’s main extracurricular activity is fighting the forces of Oblivion. The People never need to hide what they are because no one ever believes them. Until Chloe does.  

Chloe sets out to help Tal and The People as much as she can as an outsider. Seth says as long as no one wears their underpants on the outside Chloe can do what she likes. What he doesn’t say is that he’s also one of The People, although non-practicing. But as the Final Battle draws nearer, Chloe realizes it’s time for Seth to go collect his regulation sword. The only thing standing in his way is her. Seth says he’ll give up his place in heaven to stay with her. Chloe must choose between Seth’s soul and her own happiness.  

Tour Schedule

Author Catherine Green Catherine Green writes fantasy books featuring religious characters in a brazen attempt to make the people in faith communities seem less weird. She lives with her husband, children and three marginally neglected goldfish. When she's not writing, or pretending to be one of her characters on Facebook, she has been known to cook dinner. 

Website * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook

       






Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shadow Fire Blog Tour ($50 Amazon GC/Paypal Giveaway)

Shadow Fire Blog Tour Schedule

 

Shadow Fire

 

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.

All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Each installment of The Light Chronicles is a standalone story.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

Praise for Shadow Fire  

"This book contains monsters, magic, majestic creatures, and a evil guy that wants to destroy the world. If you love hot guys.....Zane is all that plus a few tricks up his sleeve. Just read it!" Venture ~Amazon Reviewer

"Adventure, magical creatures, fun characters, and romance make this book a perfect read for all ages." James ~Amazon Reviewer

 "I thought the writing was strong; it had me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. The characters were engaging and the dialogue well-written." Lisa Temple ~ Goodreads

"Oh, I truly loved this one! Shadow Fire, by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, is a snappy, sassy, sweet, all-that-kind-of-awesome-and-then-some YA read. I couldn't put it down." ~Sasha Hibbs ~ Amazon Reviewer

Excerpt  

When we reach the deck, everyone stops to stare at me. Trying to ignore the blatant curiosity, I follow Hanna down the aft stairs to the brig. Zane and Taranis occupy cells across from each other. They're both sitting on the floor glaring daggers at each other. Hanna hands the key to me and slips away. Inching closer, I'm careful to remain out of reach of the two prisoners. As soon as they see me, both men jump up and start talking over each other.

 "Ashlyn! How are you feeling, Love?" Zane asks.

 "Ashlyn, my fiery angel, you are a ray of sunshine in this dank prison!" Taranis says.

"I'm gonna let you both out, if, and only if, you promise to behave," I threaten. Both men nod their agreement.

"That means no fighting. It also means we never, and I mean never, speak of what happened last night." When I get no argument, I free Zane first and then Taranis.

 "Do you even know what happened last night?" Zane asks, taking me into his arms. I stand rigid in his embrace, not sure if I'm ready to forgive him quite yet.

 "Only what Hanna told me," I snap at him. "I saved your virtue from this raving lunatic," Taranis says, pointing at Zane. "Then you decided to take it for yourself!" Zane yells back at him.

 "Did you not hear me?" I shout. Pulling myself from Zane's embrace, I back up and glare at both men.

"No speaking of last night. Period. End of discussion."

"Yes, Love," Zane replies.

"Yes, virtuous virgin," Taranis replies.

"Taranis!" I release a menacing growl, and wince when my right eye starts to tic.

"Yes?" he asks, eyes full of mock innocence.

"Run," Zane says. Taranis listens to Zane's advice and takes off up the stairs to the deck with me hot on his heels.

   Author Kimber Leigh Wheaton Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in The Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming soon.  

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Blog

**Giveaway**

        Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Sticks N Stones and the Garden of Phea Book Blast ($25 Amazon GC/Paypal Giveaway)

About the Book

 

Title: Sticks n' Stones and the Garden of Phea | Author: Angela Burkhead | Publication Date: February 6, 2014 | Publisher: Maple Hill Publishing | Pages: 152 | Recommended Ages: 9+ Summary: Rather than spending one more day amongst the humiliating remarks to the amusement of her fellow peers, Emily Fickeltin runs away. Or, rather, walks away. Emily is misunderstood and disliked but what seems to be every other child her age and on top of it all, she is overweight. Perfectly pleasantly plump, her mother calls her, but Emily feels far from perfect. Her attempt to escape her pain leads her to discover a hidden place with new hope for friends and acceptance. Stumbling into Phea's garden, an eccentric woman skilled in the arts of gardening and imagination, Emily finds she is not alone in her troubles. Phea and her friend rabbit have a past of their own they wish to run from and together the three battle their innermost demons as their world crumbles around them. Will they ever discover peace and acceptance? These lost and disheartened souls must find who they are before they are all lost forever.

Purchase

Amazon

 

About the Author: Angela Burkhead

Angela Burkhead is a full time writer and a full time mom. Of the two jobs, she cannot decide which is more difficult and time consuming, but both bring the joys of fulfillment and accomplishment. She and her son currently reside in Richmond, Ky, just north of Kentucky's arts and crafts capital, Berea, Ky, where she was born and raised. Her newest book, Sticks n' Stones and the Garden of Phea, an upper middle grade/young adult fantasy novel, was published February of 2014.

Goodreads | Author Blog | Twitter

Facebook | Tumblr

 

* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

   
Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: May 13, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, David Chuka and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

A Fantastic New Look from Rockaboo Designs!

When I first started my blog, almost a year ago now, I had no idea how important the appearance of my little spot on the internet was. Not a clue.

I visit a lot of blogs, quite regularly to read about others' lives, see their reviews, and enter some of their giveaways. It quickly became more and more apparent to me how much different my site looked from theirs, and how much better I felt navigating through their pages than my own.

By now, I'm sure some of you know that I have a slight obsession with Etsy, and supporting small businesses. Of course that was the first place I checked, and sure enough, I found both pre-made Blogger, and Wordpress templates!! One shop stood out the most, full of a mixture of everything I love in a design. All were clean, easy to read, no harsh bright colours that hurt my eyes, and each had its' own style to them.

Rockaboo Designs is run by Kayla, a busy mom to twin boys who started making pre-made blogger templates out of her love for creating with graphics. She has been coding since she was a teenager, and is completely self-taught through different forums/tutorials and of course, a little practice. After tucking years of experience under her belt, she enjoys using her eye for design to bring a new sense of life to people's sites.

It has been wonderful working with Kayla. She is extremely professional, and more helpful than I could have asked for. I chose the Lindy Blogger Template for review. The muted flower graphic called out to the simple, and girly side of me. I am not one for bright things in general, so I was happy to see the colour scheme was a match to the kind of layout I was looking for.

Included in the template download was a zipped file, containing a header image with my tagline and blog name, my blog signature, social media icons, a custom favicon and easy to follow instructions for installation. Also, there was an editable header and sidebar image that I was able to customize myself. I was given the option to have a custom sidebar image created but since I don't quite have the perfect picture yet, I wanted to save that for a little later.  Another option I thought was really helpful for those who might be in a rush and have a bit more know-how than I do, is an instant download available that contains just the customizable images for you to edit at your convenience.

What I loved the most were the super easy, step-by-step instructions. They were broken down into extremely simple terms, and she walked you through everything, starting with backing up your current template, installation of your new template, the widgets, everything...from start to finish. For example, I had a couple of things I wanted tweaked after looking through everything. I noticed if I made my titles too long they would overlap on top of each other, and my social media buttons were in two lines instead of one. She addressed this right away, walking me through it line by line.

Overall, it was two corrections that took less than two minutes, and I think the finished look is perfect! The font is very pretty. Though I think the capital S looks a little like an L, I still feel it is elegant and I've grown to love it, as well as the layout and how the design fit together. The attention that Kayla showed my blog and I made me feel comfortable, even when I was a nervous wreck about changing things (anxious people don't do so well with change most of the time). She was very pleasant, and made sure that I was happy with the way things came out.

I would gladly choose one of her designs next time I revamp my site. For just under $28, I would say that her templates and her services are well worth it. Keep checking back at the Rockaboo Designs blog for upcoming tutorials aimed towards helping us bloggers. Goodness knows I can use all the help I can get, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. :)

You can find Rockaboo Designs on Etsy and Facebook to stay up to date with new designs, future giveaways and discounts! 

***Giveaway***

Kayla has kindly offered a great prize to one lucky winner. Use the Rafflecopter below to get your entries in. Good luck!

Prize: One lucky winner will receive a Pre-Made Blogger Template from Rockaboo Designs ($27.99 ARV) **Please note these are Blogger templates, not Wordpress**

Eligibility: Worldwide (excluding Quebec) to those with a valid email address, 18+.

Entry Period: April 17, 2014 - May 1, 2014 11:59pm EST

Rules: See Rafflecopter for full terms and conditions. By entering you agree to these terms.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A winner will be chosen at random, and will be contacted by email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email before another winner will be selected at random. The winner will be announced in the rafflecopter form once they have confirmed/responded to my email.   

Be sure to check out these other fantastic giveaways to enter! 

Would you like to see your products featured in a review/giveaway similar to this one? I would love to work with you! Please feel free to email me: oddball2003@hotmail.com .

I received sample products in order to conduct my review. As always, opinions are 100% honest and my own.  

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader & Read Now Sleep Later.

In celebration of Easter each blog participating is offering a prize to their readers...so, you can enter here, and then hop along to the rest of the giveaways in the list! 

I occasionally participate in US only giveaways, but I don't think I've ever done one specifically to thank my Canadian readers. This one is just for you Canada! :)

(Sorry US/International entrants, please find 20+ other giveaways for you here!)

Prize: One lucky winner will receive a $25 iTunes Gift Card

Eligibility: Canada (excluding Quebec), 18+.

Entry Period: April 17, 2014 - April 24 11:59pm EST

Rules: See Rafflecopter for full terms and conditions. By entering you agree to these terms.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A winner will be chosen at random, and will be contacted by email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email before another winner will be selected at random. The winner will be announced in the rafflecopter form once they have confirmed/responded to my email.   

Would you like to see your products featured in a giveaway similar to this one? I would love to work with you! Please feel free to email me: oddball2003@hotmail.com .
 

One of the Funniest Things I've Ever Watched

Alright, I don't normally share videos on here (with the exception of the occasional book trailer), but this is one for the books. This PooPourri ad officially goes down as the oddest, yet one of the funniest that I have ever seen.

And yes people, it is REAL! 

I'm sure some of you have watched it already, but for those that haven't...and if you're not offended by poop...you've got to watch this! If you are offended by poop, it may be best to move on to a different post.  :)

Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs Book Blast #Giveaway

About the Book

Title: Billy and The Monster Who Ate All The Easter Eggs | Author: David Chuka | Publication Date: March 23, 2013 | Publisher: Pen-n-a-Pad Publishing | Pages: 32 | Recommended Ages: 3 to 8  
Summary: Join Billy and Monster in this third episode of the series titled Billy and the Monster who Ate All the Easter Eggs. Billy and Monster love all the holidays as they get to spend quality time together. However, their best holiday is Easter as they get to eat their favorite food...CHOCOLATE! This year, they're spending Easter with Grandma Chocalicious who loves Chocolate even more than Billy. She's an expert at making chocolate cake, chocolate waffles and even chocolate pasta. This year Grandma Chocalicious has made a pyramid of Easter eggs for her party on Easter Sunday. Billy and Monster want one of the Easter eggs but Grandma says they have to wait till Easter Sunday. What happens when Billy and Monster tip toe downstairs and the pyramid of Easter eggs comes falling down?

Get your copy of this funny book for kids of all ages that is not only full of laughs but also has a lesson weaved in that you'll love sharing with your loved ones.

Book Trailer

Purchase

* Print copy includes FREE coloring book inside *

Amazon (Print) | Amazon (Kindle)

 

The Buzz

"Experience is the best teacher as Billy and his "purple shadow" learn a sweet lesson in Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs. Beautifully illustrated, nicely formatted, this quick, easy story will be read over and over again." ~ 5 Star Review, Julia B., Amazon

"My daughter has really been enjoying David Chuka's Billy and Monster books. This is another fun addition to the "family." As always, the story has a lovely moral (this time teaching the value of moderation - definitely the biggest word in the book)! It's based on the very realistic theme of overindulging in chocolate/sweets, which virtually anyone can relate to and which kids find a lot of fun. And, awesome pictures as always. Definitely recommend it." ~ 5 Star Review, Renee B., Amazon

"I really like the little monster in this book and how they get into trouble together. What child hasn't snuck into the cache of candies that their parents have hidden? Cute story with a lesson for the little ones in your family!" ~ 5 Star Review, Patricia T., Amazon

"This is a cute story about a little boy Billy and his funny friend Monster. They love chocolate so much that they forget about obeying to older. At night, they sneaked to the chocolate egg pyramid, started eating the chocolate eggs and made a big mess. On the morning, they not only got in a big trouble, but they also got a bad stomach pain. They both had to learn a lessons about MODERATION. Nice illustrations, book well written." ~ 5 Star Review, OPV, Amazon

"Billy and his monster friend enjoy lots of fun in this book, filled with great pictures and a cute story. It shares a lot about celebrating holidays, and intertwines humor and family love throughout the story. Hidden in the story is a nice message about eating in moderation, a well needed lesson in our culture of over-eating. Billy ends up being proud of himself and makes good decisions by the end of the book, while all the while sharing some adventures with his cute monster friend. Great read to share with your children or grandchildren year round, not just for the Easter holiday." ~ 5 Star Review, Katie W., Amazon

 

About the Author: David Chuka

David Chuka lives in London with his lovely wife and two adorable children. His family are usually the first people to hear his funny and quirky tales. He was inspired to write his first book, 'If You See a Doctor' after he struggled to find a book for his daughter who was a beginner reader. He's gone on to write more books including the popular 'Billy and Monster' series, a funny set of books about a little boy and his Monster who get into all sorts of funny situations and learn about moderation, friendship, self control, bravery etc. Young children can relate to Billy and you'll love sharing his adventures with your children, grandchildren and loved ones. 

As a father himself, he has parents at heart when he writes. He recognizes that bedtime has to be one of the best parts of the day for parents and grandparents as it gives them the opportunity to bond with their little ones. He believes you'll enjoy sharing his stories with your loved ones at bedtime. 

In David Chuka's books, you can stay rest assured that quality and captivating images will always complement the story to ensure your loved ones are spell-bound as you read to them. Beginner readers will also enjoy discovering new words as they read his books. 

He has so many stories to tell and can't wait to share them with you and your loved ones.

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Doesn't this sound like an adorable book? With Easter coming up really fast, I think this is the perfect time of year to read about Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs. I personally love that David writes his book with his own children in mind. I know one of our favourite things to do before bedtime is to lay down and read a couple of books. Anyway, on to the giveaway...Good luck!

Want to win a copy of Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs?

Enter for your chance to win 1 of 2 print copies of Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs by David Chuka in a Goodreads giveaway (Open U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia; Ends April 17, 2014).

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs

by David Chuka

Giveaway ends April 17, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

* $50 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: May 13, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, David Chuka and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Bull, The Bear, and the Baboon Book Blast (Kindle Giveaway)

Product Details

Paperback: 302 pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (September 20, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1484888987 ISBN-13: 978-1484888988 Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches

Description:

Why do 90% of the people who start trading FX lose money?
‘World-class traders, trainers and authors’ have spent many years exaggerating, misrepresenting, advocating techniques that no one could ever master, and taught out-of-date, worthless techniques is why. Adding to the fact that new traders trust “experts”; they attend “free” how-to-trade FX seminars offered by self-described expert traders; they buy books that “reveal the secrets” of successful traders and eventually have to learn a lot of hard lessons of big money losses.

This book will arm you with the knowledge you need to avoid the fate of 90% of new FX traders and in turn, big money losses.

 How can I be so sure? I was one of the thousands who graduated from the school of big losses. The only thing I became an expert in was losing money. I paid for courses, bought and read books, and purchased a number of software systems when I first became an FX trader.

I only wish is that this book had been available then, being armed with these lessons and those learnt from others' experiences. I would have saved thousands of dollars of hard earned money, years of time, and trouble at home.

This book details the experiences of seven of us who believed the experts. It reveals the ways FX trading experts misrepresent their success, why the methods they teach don't work for traders. Reading this book before you spend anything on “expert” training, you’ll know what questions to ask, how to get to the truth, how not to get taken by disreputable trainers, and how you can more likely become one of the 10% of new FX traders who actually make money.

After two years of planning, writing and editing, utilizing Winsor Hoang’s 15+ years’ experience in the forex market as well as drawing on the experience of others, this book is able to identify the lessons learned and ways to be more aware of the pitfalls of investing in a competitive forex market.

With so many “experts” in the market, taking peoples' money and offering nothing of value in return, this book provides a wealth of knowledge that every new investor should know when entering the forex market!

The Bull, The Bear, and The Baboon offers an insight into the currency trading market through the eyes of seven people, each with a different reason for becoming a trader. Their individual stories and the ways in which they interact and influence each other provide the reader an eye-opening portrayal of the trading world.

Both entertaining and informational, this book reads like a suspense novel and, at the same time, offers practical advice to both the novice and experienced investors. It is a captivating narrative story in what is typically a nonfiction, educational genre.

Inspired by the overwhelming number of swindlers that fool the average individual entering currency trading, this book is written for mainstream audiences, weaving very real trading cautionary points into the technical pitfalls, disciplines, and psychologies related to trading.

Buy on Amazon

Harry, a stock broker who lost everything in the dot com crash, turns to foreign exchange currency trading where he quickly learns there is more money in training than in trading. Selling students dreams of independence and wealth, and selectively showing his own trading history, Harry is again living the high life. But, seven students soon realize that Harry was selling lies, and everyone will have to pay the price – including Harry.  

The Bull, The Bear and The Baboon looks inside the currency trading market through the eyes of seven people, each with different reasons for becoming a trader. Their individual stories and the ways in which they interact and influence each other provide the reader an eye opening portrayal of the trading world. Both entertaining and informational, this book reads like a suspense novel and, at the same time, offers practical advice to both the novice and experienced investors. It is a captivating narrative story into what is a typically non-fiction, educational genre.  

Ron, an entrepreneur and self-made multimillionaire, needs a new challenge. Michelle, an unemployed, recent college graduate is seeking income. Joey, a compulsive gambler, sees a new game he can play from home. Each succumbs to Harry’s sales pitch and enrolls in a course that will change their lives – and the lives of four others who band together to form the “Gang of Seven.” The Bull, The Bear and The Baboon recounts each person’s situation, examines the reasons their trading strategies failed, offers specific steps that investors should take to avoid losing all their money, and outlines a trading edge to significant profitability, even when one is right only half the time.  

Inspired by the overwhelming number of swindlers that fool the average individual entering currency trading, this book is written for the mainstream audiences, weaving very real trading cautionary points into the technical pitfalls, disciplines, and psychology related to trading.
 

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About the author:

Winsor Hoang is the founder and CEO of CTS Forex, and is also a registered Forex commodity trading advisor (CTA) with the National Futures Association (NFA) offering managed account services to high net worth individuals with a minimum account of $50K. Winsor is the author of “The Bull, The Bear and The Baboon – FX Lessons Learned the Hard Way." Using his 15 years of automated system design as a professional electrical engineer, Winsor has successfully transitioned to systematic trading development. Winsor started researching the FX market in 2003 and founded CTS Forex in 2007, specializing in the systematic trading of the EUR/USD currency pair. Winsor has nearly two decades and more than twenty thousand hours of trading experience. Not all of Winsor’s twenty thousand hours came without their challenges, losses and learnings though. Throughout this process, Winsor and those around him had some very interesting and varied experiences with their introduction to FX trading from many “experts” around the world. In his book, The Bull, The Bear and The Baboon, Winsor shares his lessons learned to help others avoid the same pitfalls he and others experienced.

CTS Forex actively works with several high profile mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists, and computational finance specialists at the University of Calgary and other leading institutions to develop reliable and robust trading systems. Joint FX research has also produced several academic papers that have been published in first-class international scientific journals such as Journal of Mathematical Finance (JMF), Elsevier Procedia Computer Science Journal, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Journal, and International Conference on Computational Science. CTS Forex uses an automated, statistical, risk-managed FX trading system that produces profits with just 50 percent winning trades. CTS Forex's systematic trading has the advantage of imposing strict risk discipline, avoiding emotionally induced errors, and capturing profitable opportunities. Automated trading has proven to increase portfolio returns by removing the need for 24-hour monitoring of international markets, overcoming the effects of human emotion and eliminating costly trading pattern inconsistencies.

If you are interested in more information about our Managed Forex accounts, please call CTS Forex on 1-888-260- 3939 or contact us at info@ctsforex.com.  

The author is giving away a kindle fire 7 inch tablets for a reader. Fill out the form below to enter.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This blog did not receive compensation for this giveaway. Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest are in no way associated with this sweepstakes. Prize fulfillment will be handled by sponsor.