Freda's Voice

Welcome to Week 111! 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. (Affiliate link) So much for innocence. A harder line woud be required.

Happy 2013!!! My resolution this year is to keep trying to be a better human being. Be more compassionate, patient and loving. Keep learning and listen more. Good goals for any person to strive for. I also want to read at least 150 books. I read 137 last year and feel down about that since it's much lower than the previous years. I know it's good by any standards, but I want to read more. My blogging goals are to comment more often, since I've been slipping, and find more blogs to read. Meaning the newbie blogs. Show support for the newbie, since I used to be one, that's my thinking.... What are your personal and blogging goals, if any? You'll also notice in the monthly news that I'm keeping track of genres read instead of page count. It's the one true way to see which genre is my favorite or most chosen. BOOKS: 1. Readers Digest Treasury of Joy and Inspiration (recommend) 2. Iron's Prophecy - Julie Kagawa (recommend) 3. Caarina

(Affiliate link) Newly heartbroken and searching for purpose in her life, Abby Monroe is determined to make her mark as a UN worker in one of the world’s most unstable cities: Peshawar, Pakistan. But after witnessing the brutal murder of a woman thrown from a building, she is haunted by the memory of an intricate and sparkling bracelet that adorned the victim’s wrist. At a local women’s shelter, Abby meets former sex slaves who have miraculously escaped their captors. As she gains the girls’ trust and documents their horrifying accounts of unspeakable pain and betrayal, she joins forces with a dashing  New York Times  reporter who believes he can incriminate the shadowy leader of the vicious human trafficking ring. Inspired by the women’s remarkable bravery—and the mysterious reappearance of the bracelet— the duo traces evidence that spreads from remote villages of South Asia to the most powerful corners of the West, risking their lives to offer a voice to the countless innocents

Silver-White by Shawn Underhill “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.” ~ Robert Frost *Evie’s family has been holding out on her … Big time. On an unexpected visit to her grandparents’ house in New Hampshire’s secluded North Woods, the sixteen-year-old literally runs into the truth of the long-hidden family secrets, and finds herself thrust without warning into the clandestine world of the Great North Pack—a wild and exhilarating world of rugged beauty, heart-pounding adventures, and long nights running under a sea of stars … but as she’s set to discover, a world also fraught with potential dangers lurking in the shadows. Praise  "Simply put, this book was amazing. I've read more fantasy novels than than I can count, but this one is certainly one of the best. The heroine isn't some wishy-washy pansy that screams at everything, and the focus of the story isn't on some unbelievably beautiful

DK Start Something New Boutique (Affiliate link) Have you always wanted to learn Pilates, but don't know how to get started?  Get Started: Pilates  is your perfect, patient teacher, taking you from complete beginner to being able to master 70 Pilates poses and nine sequences. Start simple with basic poses, breathing techniques, and routines; build on them with master rolls, swings, curls, and stretches; and take it a step further by increasing your reps for intense workouts and achieving total body control. Packed with advice, reminders, and help when things go wrong,  Get Started: Pilates  will soon have you hooked on this body-transforming exercise. More than any other series on the market, DK's  Get Started  series simulates carefully structured classroom lessons, an approach that allows you to custom-build courses with practical lessons and themed projects. Nothing's assumed, and everything's explained; each book answers fundamental questions

Mont Bleu is a wholesale Czech glass and crystal nail file distributor. Each nail file is hand-crafted, and even have Swarovski crystal elements. An attractive and vast range of nail file sets to choose from, you will find the style and look you love. Here is my own personal collection: As you see, not all have adornments on them. Though the decorated nail files are beautiful. I like the use of them rather than metal nail files. The file evenly and smooth, and in fewer strokes. They really work better at making sure your nail gets shape instead of scraping the nail off, and getting a jagged look when using metal nail files. I will never use anything else but these Czech glass and crystal nail files again! I highly recommend you get some too!!! DISCLAIMER: This is a paid post. I am compensated, though the opinions are my own.

Sofas are designed to make your home more elegant and beautiful. They are perfect for merging elegance with comfort and artistic flair. Since sofas come in a variety of forms, they can cater to the whims and fancies of families who desire to have an elegant home. Many sofas come made of leather and are also available in a variety of styles and colors. They tend to reflect the character of the people living in the house. If you’re thinking about purchasing a sofa take the time you need to select a sofa that will support your style preference. Once you have a sofa of your choosing it will add the right amount of beauty and comfort to your home. In fact, guests will love a stylish sofa that’s fitting for the room. In fact these leather sofas and the supporting interior design have a way at putting people at ease by creating a perfect appearance for both families and guests. The upholstery of the chair is sturdy and stunning and what’s more, there are many colors available to choose fo

(Affiliate link) As summer break for Glendale Union high begins, heartsick Megan awaits Guy's return while struggling to control her emerging abilities. Love is in the air, but can the new loves in Megan, Maudrina, Suze, and Aunt Jaz's lives be trusted? Nothing is what it seems. Meanwhile, the Satanists are set to hatch their most diabolical scheme ever, and if it comes to pass, Satan may finally win out.  Megan has precious little time to unravel the cryptic message hidden in the riddle she received at the end of "Earth Angel." If she doesn't, the life of someone most dear to her will be lost forever, and Megan may yet find herself living in HELL. Kindle:  446 KB Print Length:  264 pages Publisher:  White Whisker Books (December 13, 2012) ASIN:  B00AO5QH8K AMAZON US (I'm in the editorial reviews on that page!!) Author Bio: E. Van Lowe is an author, television writer, screen-writer, playwright and producer who has worked on such TV shows

Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills, the ex-CIA operative who stopped at nothing to rescue his daughter from sadistic kidnappers. When the father of one of the kidnappers swears revenge, it is Bryan and his wife who find themselves “taken” hostage in Istanbul. To survive, Bryan must enlist the help of an unlikely ally and use his brutally efficient skills to take out his heavily-armed foes one by one. AVAILABLE TODAY Rated R 80 minutes (Affiliate link) Review: I remembered the first movie where his daughter is "taken", and though it didn't blow me away, I liked it. This movie picked right up where that one left off basically. It wasn't very exciting in the beginning, but it picked up. Lots of guns and blowing things up!! Liam Neeson plays a bad ass C.I.A. agent that knows some really creative ways of escaping captivity. That alone made the film worth watching. Total genius I tell you. The bad guys never stop chasing Liam either, so the

At the King's request, chieftain Alasdair MacDonald has sworn to preserve the peace in the Glen of Many Legends. Though he's handsome and fearless, his warrior's heart belongs only to his beloved land-until the fair sister of his oldest enemy shatters his defenses, branding his skin with a single touch, and sealing his fate with one stolen kiss . . .  Lady Marjory Mackintosh will do anything to unite the warring clans, even seduce Alasdair MacDonald. She has loved the rugged Highlander since she first saw him and now, as temptation leads to surrender, Marjory dares to possess him, body and soul. But a dangerous new menace enters the Glen, and he will stop at nothing to strip Alasdair of his honor-and the only woman who can claim his heart.  For more information visit Hachette Book Group . AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY FILL IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM TO ENTER< Read the terms & conditions. a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Affiliate link) Abby stood at the doorway and peered in. The space was small and smelled of dirt, sweat, and baby tears. The lone light bulb sizzled, throwing off more heat than light. Abby smiled at the primitive scene. "A clinic is a clinic," she said, squeezing through the crowd.

(Affiliate link) “Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls. “Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another. I am that girl. I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through. I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame. Lia and Cassie are best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies, competitors in a deadly contest to see who can be the skinniest. But what comes after size zero and size double-zero? When Cassie succumbs to the demons within, Lia feels she is being haunted by her friend’s restless spirit. In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the multiple-award-winning Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson explores Lia’s descent into the powerful vortex of anorexia, and her painful path toward recovery. Hardcover:  288 pages Publisher:  Viking Juvenile; First Edition edition (March 19, 2009) ISBN:  9780670011100 AMAZON US Author Bio: Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling a

(Affiliate link) Tiddles is a suave, carefree kitty cat whose only pleasures in life are eating mice, wooing the ladies, and being generally apathetic toward his owner, Jake. But when a toxic spill occurs outside of town, Tiddles finds himself savagely attacked by a nasty-looking radioactive field mouse, and he wakes up as one of the undead. However, he still retains a bit of compassion and refrains—for now—from zombie Bacchanalian delights, such as eating living beings’ brains! Umm . . . any brains at all! However, Tiddles, a.k.a. Zombie Cat, is decomposing rapidly and would prefer to live a normal life in the zombie apocalypse with his owner, Jake. But will Jake take in his former cuddly pet or will ZC be doomed to roam the streets trying to avoid the inevitable pull of his undead yearnings? Zombie Cat  is a humorous adult picture book in the vein of  Pat the Zombie  and  Ten Little Zombies: A Love Story . Isabel Atherton’s quirky storytelling combined with Bethany Straker’s capt

SOME RULES SIMPLY BEG TO BE BROKEN A dressmaker in London's busiest shop, Miss Anabelle Honeycote overhears the ton's steamiest secrets-and (occasionally) uses them to her advantage. It isn't something she's proud of, but the reluctant blackmailer needs the money to care for her gravely ill mother. To make up for her misdeeds, Anabelle keeps to a firm set of rules:  Never request payment from someone who cannot afford it. Never reveal the secrets of a paying client. Never enter into any form of social interaction with a client. Her list keeps her (somewhat) honest-until she encounters Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford. Not only does Owen nip Anabelle's extortion plans in the bud, the devilishly handsome Duke soon has the sexy seamstress dreaming of more than silks and satins. With Owen Anabelle enjoys pleasures she never imagined. . . until a scandal from the past resurfaces. Now her rules could mean his family's ruin. Owen's searing kisses carry th

(Affiliate link) When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.   Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires. Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever. Paperback:  528 pages Publ

A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor ... a fearsome Bengal tiger. Directed by Ang Lee 127 minutes Purchase DVD at AMAZON Review: All the things I wrote in my review for the book, apply to this film as well. And that says a lot since the book made me have really high hopes for the film. I had all these images in my head already and needed the film to do it justice. And it didn't let me down! Even the hubby watched the movie and loved it! That says a lot, he's quite picky. I laughed and cried in all the same spots as the book, well it was so accurate a film. Really, there was no spots I would have done differently. Ang Lee is a fantastic director, and his eye is perfect for what this vivid movie needed to express the story. There really is not much dialogue so he had to be creative in filming, and he was.  I can see thi

Lainey Young has a secret: she’s going crazy. Everyone else thinks she has severe migraines from stress and exhaustion. What she really has are visions of how people died—or are going to die. Not that she tells anyone that. At age sixteen, she prefers keeping her crazy to herself. When doctors insist she needs a new and stable environment to recover, Lainey’s game to spend two years at a private New England boarding school. She doesn’t really think it will cure her problem, and she’s half right. There is no cure, but as she discovers, she’s not actually crazy. Almost everyone at Northbrook Academy has a secret too. Half the students and nearly all the staff are members of the Sententia, a hidden society of the psychically gifted. A vision of another student’s impending death confirms Lainey is one of them. She’d like to return the crappy gift of divining deaths with only a touch, but enjoys spending time with Carter Penrose—recent Academy graduate and resident school crush—while lear

Welcome to Week 110! 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. (Affiliate link) "So what now, Ana?" José shouts at me over the noise. "Kate and I are moving to Seattle. Kate's parents have bought a condo there for her." "Dios mio, how the other half live. But you'll be back for my show?" "Of course, José, I wouldn't miss it for the world." I smile, and he puts his arm around my waist and pulls me close.

Protecting the Paws of the World! FouFou Pet has come out with a NEW product to protect your pets' paws. It is 100% all natural. Moisturizes cracked paws, protects against winter salt and hot pavement. Made with soothing ingredients. It is transparent and leaves no residues. It's also in a travel size so you can bring it anywhere. FouFou on Facebook FouFou on Twitter Review: I was sent a Pawstick to help the paws of my Pug and Shih Tzu.  Having really cold Arctic winds coming into the region, bringing snow and freezing temperatures, the paws of my dogs get sensitive. The salt also plays a factor in harming your pets paws. My poor dogs are small, so the salt is like little shards of glass on their paws. With that said, this stick couldn't have come at a better time. It has a unique, minty smell. The dogs must like it, as my Pug kept licking at it. She likes mint, I guess. My Shih Tzu didn't bother with it except when I put it on, she had to s