Freda's Voice

Welcome to the October edition of monthly news! Happy Halloween!! I did a guest review for a Zombie-Themed Event at VVB32 Reads Blog. I also attended She's Connected in Toronto, a blogger conference. It was exhausting and exciting! I also changed the blog design and look. That was fun and challenging. I am thankful for your feedback. We also had a hurricane blow through our city. Very rare for southern Ontario. You can read my initial post . I also wrote an update in the aftermath of Sandy. BOOKS: 1. Forgotten - Catherine McKenzie (HIGHLY recommend) 2. Against My Will - Benjamin Berkley (recommend) 3. Friends Forever - Helen Murray   4. Never Slow Dance With A Zombie - E. Van Lowe (recommend) 5. Illustrated Step-by-Step Baking - Caroline Bretherton (recommend) 6. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening - L.J. Smith (recommend) 7. With the Stroke of a Pen Claim Your Life - Jane Blaufus (recommend) 8. Welcome to Heartlake City - Helen Murray  9. Blood an

(Affiliate link) Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Scribner (October 23, 2012) ISBN: 9781451620825 This is a book written by Peter Criss. It documents his whole life, from a little lad banging on his moms pots to a grown man playing venues to millions. Makeup to Breakup is a no-holds-barred version of Peter Criss's experiences within and without a band. He tells it like it is, all of it. From growing up in Brooklyn to being a founding member of Kiss, and even his experiences around his hit song, "Beth". A shocking tell all story from one of the greatest drummers of our time. I have been a fan of Kiss's for as far back as I can remember. While I admit, it was Gene Simmons and his demon character that appealed to me most, I still enjoyed all of the original four members of the band. Paul with his bold, big voice, Ace with his coolness about him, and the Catman who's song Beth is the most beautiful rock ballad ever!  When I heard about a year ago

(Affiliate link) From Amazon: A 90 day journey to drive you toward your desired outcome will help you get determined, dedicated and driven to accomplish your dreams and destiny. With determination, drive and desire there’s nothing that will be impossible for you! Come take this 90 day journey with us. It will truly drive you towards your desired outcome! Kindle: 209 KB Print Length: 111 pages Publisher: Unlock Publishing House (August 2, 2011) ASIN: B005FRGLCO   ISBN: 9780983546832 I feel like the last 90 days of reading this book have given me lots to think about. Each morning, while having my moment with God, I'd read the snippet of the day and feel inspired. Inspired to be a better person and do better things.  I would love to continue reading this book for encouragement each morning, and may do just that. It has been a great addition incorporated into my morning routine, helping me feel better about myself and my whole day. 5/5 DISCLAIMER: I

 Blood and Mistletoe is a novella that follows Shadow Sight , in the Ivy Granger series. I read and reviewed Shadow Sight , and even though it wasn't the most perfect book I have ever read, it was exciting and interesting enough that I wanted to carry on the series.  Ivy Granger is not your average private detective, because she has a paranormal ability. With that ability comes relationships with beings that normal people are not meant to have, like vampires and faeries. It's Ivy's job, with the help of some great characters, to solve problems and crimes in the paranormal and reality realms.  This novella picks up exactly where Shadow Sight left off. Same people, same place. That was good, I prefer series to do that. I have to admit though, this story packed a little more punch than the first book for me. In a short period of time, it became like salt in a dish. It gave the original story more flavor. I now look more forward to another book than I did previously, whi

(Affiliate link) The next morning at church, Graciela nestled in the crook of Mama's arm and hunkered down in the blue cushioned pew. She couldn't help but notice how differently people treated them.

BLURB: Forgiving yourself is the first step, but helping others forgive may be just too hard. Rachel Cullen grew up in Scotland with a fiddle in her hand from the age of four. She couldn't imagine life as anything but a musician. When her husband brought her to America she was immediately embraced by the Celtic and Bluegrass communities. But after her divorce, Rachel's life is a mess. A year of trying to prove to herself that she's woman enough for any man, and then a vicious rape while on tour with the band, leaves Rachel reeling. When she meets Noel Kershaw, an English teacher who is poetry in motion, she is definitely attracted. But he has a young child and he's suffering from his own divorce. The last thing Rachel needs in life is more baggage. First, Rachel must reconcile who she is, what she wants, and how to get there. Maybe then she'll know how to be a part of the family she's always wanted.   AUTHOR Bio and Links: Mag

(Affiliate link) Blurb from DK Canada Come on a tour of Heartlake City! Meet the LEGO® Friends as they hang out at all the hotspots such as the tree house, beauty parlor, the idyllic Whispering Woods, and their favorite café. There are always lots of cool things to do in the city. But most of all, the girls just like hanging out with each other! Paperback: 48 pages Publisher: DK CHILDREN (June 18, 2012) ISBN: 9780756693848 AMAZON US AMAZON CA My review of Friends Forever This is a very fun read for girls, though I didn't feel there was any lessons to be learned. It follows the lives of four Lego girls, showing what they on a daily basis and the pets they have. Colorful, action photos of the Lego girls accompany the entire book, bringing it to life. Parents will be happy letting their kids read this series, as kids will enjoy this as a source of entertainment.  3/5 Don't forget about the DK Canada Love of Lego Contest. For more info go HERE .

Halloween is just around the corner and if you’re in the mood to scare your neighbors and your family members with terrifying decorations, it’s not too late to implement bloodcurdling pieces! If you don’t have a budget to buy Halloween decorations you can always head to the dollar store and be creative with what is available there, such as fake spiders and spider web that will cover your entire home with spooky Halloween elements. However, if you set aside some money to spend on some innovative Halloween props, here are some ideas to get you started! Start with Your Interior – Before adding props and spooky pieces to your exterior, start with your interior. Head to stores like Target and pick up towels and soap that have a Halloween theme. Look for blood dripping candles or better yet do a DIY project and add red to your candlesticks instead of spending the money! There’s also color changing pathway ghosts, giant spiders, and hanging werewolves that will make your home c

What happens when you die before your time? The Realm of the Lost  is a middle grade novella that tells the story of thirteen-year-old Kathleen "Kat" Gallagher. After a tragic accident, Kat finds herself stuck in the place where people go when they have died before their time. Upon her arrival, Kat meets two of the young inhabitants of The Realm of the Lost. Will she learn to embrace her new surroundings? Little does Kat know, the relationships she builds in death will teach her to appreciate the ones she had in life.  Excerpt:  It was warm when I came to, and I felt no pain. Standing with ease, I bent over and inspected my pant-legs, searching for some remnant of dirt or ice. Nothing.  Could this be a dream?   Then I noticed a bright orange ray reflecting off my necklace. The glare almost blinded me. I surveyed my surroundings. Positioned atop solid dirt ground, I gasped in awe. Pine trees stood skyscraper high, haloed by dusty golden light. The

Genre: Paranormal ISBN-13: 978-1478349501 ISBN-10: 1478349506 ASIN: B004AYDGVM Number of pages: 346 Word Count: 121,705 Amazon Kindle     Amazon Print   Barnes and Noble Book Description: She picked the worst guy to have an affair with! - Evil stalks in Hawaii Michelle was brutally attacked in her locked hotel room in Las Vegas. The police didn't believe her and thought she must have lured a man up to her hotel room for a little sexual adventure, which went dangerously out of control. Michelle sustained visible scars from the terrifying and almost lethal attack, but pure fear motivated the move from her home in California to Hawaii. She's scared her attacker will come back. She's sure the next time he'll kill her. Now she has a successful career and she figures abstinence is an acceptable, if lonely, way to live. Michelle decides that an affair with a wickedly handsome man who moves into her building might cur

Welcome to Week 97 with me!   Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader  *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.     I went up to the receptionist. "Is there a Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley here?"    

While I was at She's Connected Blogger Conference this weekend, I was given an opportunity to read and review this book I'm about to tell you about. I have to tell you, this is the most powerful book I have ever read. Ok, so the cover is not what pulled me into this book. I hadn't even really got a good look at the cover when I knew I had to read it, and thanks to another blogger, Mrs. Z , I was able to. I was listening to the publicist for this book talk about how she hounded her husband in the car ride home from a trip, and thought, "it must be important". I listened to her describe how it can help you fulfill your natural desire to protect your future and protect the ones you love. This book is exactly that and more. It brought out every single emotion in me, but what it brought out most, is my natural need to secure my future and those of the ones I love. No one likes to talk about death, and the after life, but we have to. It is a natural thing t

The Waiting Booth by Brinda Berry A missing boy, government agents, an interdimensional portal... Mia has one goal for her senior year at Whispering Woods High-find her missing older brother. But when her science project reveals a portal into another dimension, she learns that travelers are moving in and out of her woods in the most alarming way and government agents Regulus and Arizona are policing their immigration. Mia's drawn to the mysterious, aloof Regulus, but it's no time for a crush. She needs to find out what they know about her brother, while the agents fight to save the world from viral contamination. But when Regulus reveals that he knows Mia's secrets, she begins to wonder if there's more going on than she thought...and if she was wrong to trust him... Purchase: Amazon  *  Barnes & Noble  *  Book Depository Praise for The Waiting Booth: "The book kept me on the edge of my seat with its perfect balance of teenaged angst, interdim

Oasap is an online site where you can purchase high quality, and trendy fashions at a great price! I have been a fan of theirs since the first time I browsed the site. I could sit for hours going through the items, that change weekly, adding things to my ever-growing wish list. This is my third time shopping at Oasap , and it is always a fast, convenient way to get what I want without leaving home. They have returns, but I have yet to use them, they are that good. Usually I would show you photo from their website, but I will show you the two orders I have made. This is the first garment I received, a slim printed vest top. I love it, and wore it all summer long! It was so comfortable, but you can read more at my review . The second garment I ordered was thick black seam-free leggings.   Which I also wore to day two at She's Connected this past weekend. It was cold, and with my sweater dress they looked awesome!! Anyway, you can check out that review to