Freda's Voice

Welcome to the July edition of Monthly News! We celebrated Canada's 145th birthday on the 1st. One of my many shots of the fireworks display at the Bay. BOOKS:  1. Florence - Ciye Cho (recommend) 2. The Complete Guitar Manual  3. 11.22.63 - Stephen King (HIGHLY recommend) 4. The Color Encyclopedia of Incredible Airplanes  5. Rage of the Dragon - Margaret Weiss & Tracy Hickman (recommend) 6. He Said Beer, She Said Wine - Sam Calagione & Marnie Old (recommend) 7. The Radleys - Matt Haig (recommend) 8. Losing Faith - Denise Jaden (recommend) 9. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (recommend) 10. Kitty Steals the Show - Carrie Vaughn (recommend) PAGE COUNT: 23643 PRODUCTS: 1. Garnier Fructis Color Shield Shampoo & Conditioner 2. Cottonelle Clean Care and Decorative Roll Cover 3. Oasap: Sleeveless Print Slim Vest Yearly Total: 79 Books, 19 Products, 1 Movie   FREDA'S FAVE FIVE (In No Particular Order): 1. Florence

SHOULD BE READING (Affiliate Link) "Ta-da," said the resident pain in the ass. "Here it is." "Bully for you. Only the real problem is that you found it." "Sorry, what?" "Haven't gotten to Irony 101 yet, then?" "No, we're still on Scathing Remarks, Offhand Commentary and Derision."

(Affiliate link) Kitty has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the First International Conference on Paranatural Studies, taking place in London. The conference brings together scientists, activists, protestors, and supernatural beings from all over the world—and Kitty, Ben, and Cormac are right in the middle of it. Master vampires from dozens of cities have also gathered in London for a conference of their own. With the help of the Master of London, Kitty gets more of a glimpse into the Long Game—a power struggle among vampires that has been going on for centuries—than she ever has before. In her search for answers, Kitty has the help of some old allies, and meets some new ones, such as Caleb, the alpha werewolf of the British Isles. The conference has also attracted some old enemies, who’ve set their sights on her and her friends. All the world’s a stage, and Kitty’s just stepped into the spotlight.   Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Tor Books (J

(Affiliate Link) Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage and must endure the hypocrisies of society. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness. While previous versions have softened the robust, and sometimes shocking, quality of Tolstoy's writing, Pevear and Volokhonsky have produced a translation true to his powerful voice. This award-winning team's authoritative edition also includes an illuminating introduction and explanatory notes. Beautiful, vigorous, and eminently readable, this Anna Karenina will be the definitive text for generations to come. Paperback: 862 pages Publisher: Penguin Classics (May 31, 2004

FIVE ALARM BOOK REVIEWS My initial post HERE   My post for Discussion Week 1 My post for Discussion Week 2  My post for Discussion Week 3 Part Seven and Part Eight Oh what an up and down ride this book has been. It seems every other discussion I love it, and the alternate not-so-much. I am thankful that it's over and also happy I completed it. I may have disliked Anna, but I think I disliked her even more when she threw herself in front of that train. She blasted the pathetic meter a little too hard for me. Levin I liked through most of the book, but the longer he was married to Kitty, the more I became distant from enjoying his character. I still cherish his value and moral system, when dealing with people he is not married to, but his wife got shut out pretty quick. Then again she did no part in making things better. I also wasn't crazy about his reaction to his child when he was born. That is just sick he felt that way.  Vronsky decided i

Welcome to Week 84 with me!   Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56. *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you. *Post it. *Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple. (Affiliate link)   Ah, baaahhh. Bad reception. He thumped the polished silver dish, and the image came clear.

Release date: August 7, 2012   A decade surviving on her own. Three days with the enemy. Can love conquer all? Cressenda knows how to survive. With her sled dogs as her only companions, she’s spent the past ten years hiding in the snow covered wilderness from the oppressive regime of the Affinity. When a routine trip to civilization takes a turn for the worst, Cressenda is forced to take refuge with the enemy or lose her life to the frozen countryside. But Beckett, a Guard of the Affinity, is more than a man in uniform. His desperate need to help Cressenda escape both the blizzard and the Affinity, makes her feelings for him all the more troubling. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free? Will her heart let her leave after all they’ve shared? Author Bio:   Annabelle is a Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy Romance author, that is, when she's not checking homework or begrudgingly cooking dinner. Wife, mother, and creator of alternate worl

(Affiliate link) When Brie’s sister, Faith, dies in a fall from a cliff, Brie’s world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood, Brie must also contend with increasingly distant parents, her boyfriend’s betrayal, and her sudden outcast status at school. And once she’s over the initial shock of Faith’s death, Brie is encountering more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don’t line up. She soon uncovers Faith’s role in a dark and twisted religious cult…a cult that now wants Brie as a member Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Simon Pulse; Original edition (September 7, 2010) ISBN: 9781416996095 Author Bio:  Denise Jaden is, or has been, everything from a professional Polynesian dancer and fitness competitor to a mushroom farmer and church secretary. Most of her time now is spent homeschooling or playing with her young son or in front of her computer writing.

SHOULD BE READING (Affiliate Link) For most of the next day, I look for Tessa and can't find her. She doesn't show up at her locker and I wonder if she's skipping. I can't help think that it could be because she doesn't want to bring me home after school. I already told Dad, and he seemed pleased I was going to a friend's house.

A Unique Lit Fiction Novel with Moving Dialogue! A Work in Progress is a new literary fiction novel by author Brad Cotton. The book has received great reviews and is on sale from July 23rd to August 3rd! Download your copy here. In addition, Brad is doing a big giveaway, including a $100 gift certificate to Amazon and signed copies of his book! a Rafflecopter giveaway Tweet, like, follow, share, blog and grab a copy of his book to enter. Get your copy of A Work in Progress today! On sale on Amazon only. About A Work in Progress Writer Danny Bayle’s life is in shambles. His true love has left him and his grandfather — the last and most important influence in his life — has just passed away. Danny has spent the last few months languishing, unable to write a single word, but at the urging of a friend ventures out into the world in an attempt to jumpstart a new life, befriending in the process an interesting assortment of characters including an author, a musician, an ar

(Affliate Link) Just about everyone knows a family like the Radleys. Many of us grew up next door to one. They are a modern family, averagely content, averagely dysfunctional, living in a staid and quiet suburban English town. Peter is an overworked doctor whose wife, Helen, has become increasingly remote and uncommunicative. Rowan, their teenage son, is being bullied at school, and their anemic daughter, Clara, has recently become a vegan. They are typical, that is, save for one devastating exception: Peter and Helen are vampires and have—for seventeen years—been abstaining by choice from a life of chasing blood in the hope that their children could live normal lives. One night, Clara finds herself driven to commit a shocking—and disturbingly satisfying—act of violence, and her parents are forced to explain their history of shadows and lies. A police investigation is launched that uncovers a richness of vampire history heretofore unknown to the general public. And wh

FIVE ALARM BOOK REVIEWS My initial post HERE My post for Discussion Week 1 My post for Discussion Week 2 PART FIVE AND PART SIX This book got stale for me again. So much socialism and politics that I started to drift off. It has been an emotional rollercoaster of a read for me, and I am so glad the ride is almost over. I feel like this book has been read forcefully instead of with my usually easy gait. How I dread book that make me feel that way. But I digress, it is too close to the finish line for me to give up. I still like Levin the most, even though he has changed since marriage. I think he is still a top character, though I don't like how he seems to ignore his wife. Maybe it's just me, but I find myself asking why did they get married in the first place... he's supposed to be infatuated with her and now he got her it's lost it's luster.  I dislike Anna more and more all the time. She still pines for a life she could have always h

1898 Yorkshire - Aurora Pettigrew has it all, a loving family, a nice home, a comfortable life. She’s waiting for the right man to offer her marriage, and the man for her is Reid Sinclair, heir to the Sinclair fortune and the love of her life. But, Reid’s mother, Julia, is against the match and her ruthlessness unearths a family secret that will tear Aurora’s world apart. Unwilling to bring shame on her family and needing answers to the allegations brought to light by Reid’s mother, Aurora begins a long journey away from home. She leaves behind all that is familiar and safe to enter a world of mean streets and poor working class. Living in the tenements of York, surrounded by people of a class she’d never mixed with before, Aurora struggles to come to terms with the way her life has changed. By chance, she reconnects with a man from her past and before he leaves with the army to war in South Africa, he offers her security through marriage. Aurora knows she should b

SEARS OPTICAL CELEBRATES AUGUST’S NATIONAL EYE EXAM MONTH BY GETTING FAMILIES READY FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL WHAT:            Sears Optical founded National Eye Exam Month in 1989 to build awareness about the importance of eye health and annual eye exams. During the month of August, as you are getting your family ready to head back-to-school, Sears Optical reminds you to make an appointment for an annual eye exam. During the back-to-school season, Sears Optical customers can take advantage of special offers for the entire family. Adults and kids are able to receive two complete pairs of eyeglasses made with Ultralight lenses for $99. WHEN:           Now – September 11 th WHERE:         Sears Optical Stores Nationwide To find a store near you visit www.searsoptical.com DETAILS:       Families across the nation are preparing for back-to-school and annual eye exams should be part of the routine. 80% of what children learn comes through their vision

Why let a little thing like death get in the way of a good time? Thirty-six year old Irene Dunphy didn't plan on dying any time soon, but that’s exactly what happens when she makes the mistake of getting behind the wheel after a night bar-hopping with friends. She finds herself stranded on Earth as a ghost, where the food has no taste, the alcohol doesn’t get you drunk, and the sex...well, let’s just say “don’t bother.” To make matters worse, the only person who can see her—courtesy of a book he found in his school library—is a fourteen-year-old boy genius obsessed with the afterlife. This sounds suspiciously like hell to Irene, so she prepares to strike out for the Great Beyond. The only problem is that, while this side has exorcism, ghost repellents, and soul devouring demons, the other side has three-headed hell hounds, final judgment, and eternal torment. If only there was a third option… Publication Date: August 1, 2012 Publisher: Eternal Press Number of Pages: 356 Genre:

Welcome to Week 83 with me!   Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56. *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you. *Post it. *Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple. (Affiliate link)   She is, in this moment, more powerful than a thousand warriors. The world suddenly holds no fear, as her body holds no pain and no nausea.

Nick and her cousin, Helena, have grown up sharing sultry summer heat, sunbleached boat docks, and midnight gin parties on Martha's Vineyard in a glorious old family estate known as Tiger House. In the days following the end of the Second World War, the world seems to offer itself up, and the two women are on the cusp of their 'real lives': Helena is off to Hollywood and a new marriage, while Nick is heading for a reunion with her own young husband, Hughes, about to return from the war. Soon the gilt begins to crack. Helena's husband is not the man he seemed to be, and Hughes has returned from the war distant, his inner light curtained over. On the brink of the 1960s, back at Tiger House, Nick and Helena--with their children, Daisy and Ed--try to recapture that sense of possibility. But when Daisy and Ed discover the victim of a brutal murder, the intrusion of violence causes everything to unravel. The members of the family spin out of their prescribed o

Oasap is a global online store dedicated to high-street fashion by offering various kinds of women’s apparel, bags, shoes, jewellery, accessories, etc.   Oasap was founded in late 2011, however, had already had thousands of SKU by far.  They keep updating products at a high rate every day. Now they update more than 500 new products each week. Those products mentioned definitely belong to the latest fashion trend.  Oasap's mission is to make you close to the planet's most cutting-edge fashion, no matter where you are or what class or age group you are in. Pursuing fashion is the right of every woman. They do free shipping worldwide with speed and precision and have a 30 days unconditional return policy. Oasap Blog Oasap Facebook Oasap Twitter Oasap Pinterest Oasap Tumblr My Opinion: I love this site and could literally browse and wishlist things all day long. It seems like there's a style for every girl on here, whether you

SHOULD BE READING (Affiliate Link) Helen gets up to answer the phone, but it stops ringing before she is even out of the dining room. That's odd, she thinks, and has a vague sense that something is wrong. She turns back to their guests, to see Mark Felt's spoon carrying a substantial quantity of summer pudding into his mouth.

(Affiliate Link) He Said Beer, She Said Wine is the first fully illustrated book on the market to give in-depth instruction on how to successfully pair both beer and wine with a wide variety of foods. Co-authored by Marnie Old, an esteemed sommelier, and Sam Calagione, owner of the renowned craft brewery DogFishHead He Said Beer, She Said Wine teaches you everything you need to know to get the best out of your beverages, with food or without. Each author divulges the secrets of their respective trades, using clear, easy-to-understand language-and, of course, a little good-natured banter to keep things lively. The book is full of fantastic tips and tricks, specific beer and wine recommendations, and interactive elements to help you identify your preferences along the way. So, from cheese to dessert, you'll always know what drinks to serve for sublime flavor combinations. Never ones to skimp on a bit of fun, Marnie and Sam also show you how to host your own at-home v

FIVE ALARM BOOK REVIEWS My initial post HERE My post for Discussion Week 1 PART THREE AND FOUR It still is not my favorite book of all time, however I will admit, it has gotten a smidge better. I guess as soon as Anna was honest about her infidelities, I felt better about reading it. Then the story changed focus and got more interesting for me. It's sad for me to admit, but, I'd rather read about someone on their deathbed than someone on their lovebed. Especially when cheating is involved. I really have to say I enjoy Levin a whole lot! I think he's a top lad and am so happy he finally got the girl! I found myself wondering if she deserved him after it all.... but that remains to be seen. I think the fact Levin gets his hands dirty and works with the "peasants" is endearing. I really enjoy the relationship he has with the old man too. It's part of how I came to realize my respect for Levin's character. And he is certainly my favorite s

Welcome to Week 82 with me!   Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56. *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you. *Post it. *Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple. (Affiliate link)   "I think she's outside heckling the opposition. She's as much an activist as ever." He glanced at the front doors to the protest outside, then noticed my frown and lined brow. "You think this is going to turn serious?"

(Affiliate Link) Skylan Ivorson is the gods-chosen Chief of all Vindras clans. But the gods from whom the Vindrasi draw their earthdwelling power are besieged by a new generation of gods who are challenging them for the powers of creation. The only way to stop these brash interlopers lies within the Five Bones of the Vektia Dragon—the primal dragon forged during the creation of the world—which have been lost for generations. With the Gods of the New Dawn amassing a vast army, Skylan finds allies in former enemies. Calling upon the ogres to fight their common foes, the Vindrasi soon find themselves in the middle of an even larger war. Skylan and his Vindrasi clan must sail the Sea of Tears into the heart of the Forbidden Empire of the Cyclops, to implement a cunning yet delicate plan that risks his life and leadership at every corner. But a new enemy lies deep in the sea, one who draws upon powers never harnessed by land dwellers. Master world-builders Margaret Weis

SHOULD BE READING (Affiliate link)   The Dragon Kahg decided he liked living at the bottom of the ocean. All these years, he had sailed to the top of the sea, riding the waves in the Vindrasi ships that carried his spirit with them, viewing with pity and disdain the lowly creatures forced to swim.

GUILTLESS READING Source: etsy.com via Freda on Pinterest Feather bookmarks.... too cool.

HOST: FIVE ALARM BOOK REVIEWS See my original post HERE . PART ONE AND TWO I have to admit, after starting to read this book, and seeing how long it is, I wondered why I bothered.... I am not crazy about infidelity, so the story itself is not one I would normally choose, but it's a classic. Now, I say to myself, yeah, I may not be into the story with all the cavorting and canoodling going on, but Leo Tolstoy sure knows how to tell a story. Whether you like brown or not, if Tolstoy described it in his eloquent way, you would all of a sudden want brown in your life. He's that good! I'm with Steph too on the opening line being amazing!  “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”   How true does that ring to you?? I took 15 minutes reflecting on this opening line. No wonder it has taken me this long to get this far in the book. So this is my first time reading this book, but I have seen the film with Greta Garb

(Affiliate link) The perfect gift for dads, grads, and aviation fans of all ages, The Color Encyclopedia of Incredible Airplanes gives a complete rundown of 150 of the world's best-loved flying machines, from the first biplanes to military jets and jumbo airliners to today's most technologically advanced planes. Presented chronologically to clearly show technological advances, The Color Encyclopedia of Incredible Airplanes has easy-to-use, at-a-glance profiles and more than 750 photographs and illustrations, from the Boxkite Voisin Biplane to the Sopwith Camel and the Boeing B-52 to the Lockheed F117A. Paperback: 360 pages Publisher: DK CHILDREN ; Reprint edition (April 16, 2012) ISBN: 9780756695750 Amazon.ca My Opinion: I love all things aeronautics. Airplanes, Helicopters, Gliders, Parachutes, if it's airborne, I'm interested. I have no idea where I get it from either. This book is amazing for an airplane lover like me. It has everything

Cottonelle Clean Care ™ Toilet Paper is 30% stronger, and with extra-absorbent ripples, it's the only bath tissue worthy of respect.  Since January, you can get your own limited edition Jonathan Adler designer roll covers available exclusively from Cottonelle . My Opinion: First the toilet paper. Oh, so soft. There is a nice line pattern that really looks and feels better. I like the thickness of the rolls, and notice I use less sheets. It's mighty absorbent too! I have grabbed sheets to clean a spill, and couldn't believe it's absorbancy. Now the toilet paper cover. My loo. It fits that big roll, and still has some room. I enjoyed the colorful pattern too. Since it's mostly white, the colors helped bring it out.  I did struggle for a fraction of a second getting it open, but no problems since then. I do wish it held more than one roll, so less back and forth, but for one it's perfect! 4/5 Recommend? The toilet paper, not the cov

Welcome to Week 82 with me!   Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56. *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grabs you. *Post it. *Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url. It's that simple. (Affiliate link)  Vronsky looked wonderingly at the prince with his resolute eyes, and, with a faint smile, began immediately talking to Countess Nordston of the great ball that was to come off next week.  "I hope you will be there?" he said to Kitty.