Book Trailer Tuesday- Hunger Games

Ok so I admit I've only read the first book in the series. Part of that is because I know so many people who just didn't like the last two books as much as the first. Because I adored the first book I've been reluctant to read the other two books. I guess I'm afraid to tarnish how much I loved the first. With the movies coming out I figured I'd post some trailers for Hunger Games including for the movie. I do not own nor did I make these trailers.

This first one is just awesome and made by a fan!




This trailer is one of the ones for the movie and it just makes me itch in anticipation. Normally I don't like movies made from books (harry potter films being a huge example). However I'm really looking forward to this one.

Undiscovered Shops Monday

All of these shops have less than 30 sales. Lets show them the love by hearting their items or better yet buying something!

SketchandEtch is based out of Vernon B.C. Canada. Shop owner Michelle carves names, logos, artwork and designs on a variety of mediums by use of sandblasting. Custom work is available and she ships to both US and Canada. You can check out her website at www.sketchandetchsandblasting.com. Here are some of my favorite items from Michelle's etsy shop.

PeaceLoveTruffles has made my mouth water. The shop just opened in November. You can keep up to date with them through Facebook and Twitter. Here are some of the tasty treats you can buy there.

 

Chrysanthemum Yum is a vintage lovers dream come true. Full of gorgeous vintage clothing, canisters and mugs...this shop is sure to delight.  Here are some of the clothes I would love to wear!

 VCrossingStitches is chock full of vinatage patterns for the person who love to cross stitch. There are so many cute patterns that I'm seriously tempted to give one a try. I haven't cross stitched in a few years since teaching myself how to crochet but I've been feeling the itch lately. The best part is that all of their patterns are digital downloads so you don't have to wait for them to ship. You'll receive the pattern in your email along with a list of floss you'll need. Here are few patterns that set me a titter. 

Some blog changes

In an effort to change things up in my blog and to get my blogging more I'm going to start doing weekly features.  Among them will be Free Book Fridays where I will feature 5 e-books you can legally get for free from websites such as amazon, smashwords, barnes and noble, kobo etc. There will also be more etsy shops featured on my blog including Undiscovered Shops Monday (shops with less than 30 sales), Themed Thursday (I'll pick a theme and post items from shops that follow theme), and Foodie Friday (shops with food/cooking related items).  Book Trailer Tuesday will show youtube trailers for upcoming and already released books. I'll be linking up with fellow book blogger RandomMagic on Wednesday so for Women Reading Wednesday.  I also will feature more up coming books and not just my reviews of books. I also will have more interviews with authors and of course giveaways. I've learned so much in the past year and have read so many more books because of starting this blog. I also will be participating in a few reading challenges but have promised myself to limit it to 6 manageable challenges (including reading 100 books next year). I want to say thank you to my faithful followers and hope that you will stick with me another year!

Hogwarts 2012 Challenge

Hosted at http://worthreadingit.blogspot.com/

Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2012 Jan 1 to Dec 31

In the Hogwarts Reading Challenge you are a student of the school. You will be sorted into houses. Each book you read must fit in to the subject of one the classes. You do not have to read books that fit all the subjects. Each book equals one point (toward the house cup).

You must read at least 5 books (audio books counts) before you are enter in to the drawing. At the end of the Challenge one person will win a $15 Amazon Gift Card and one house will win the House Cup (purely a pride thing).

There are mini challenges that has it own prize

To be eligible to win prizes you must have a blog and sign up using Mr. Linky. Then start a Hogwarts Reading Challenge post and link it back to this post.
****You can be eligible for prize if you become a member of I Love Reading Challenges on Shelfari and keep the list of the books you read for this challenge under the Hogwarts Challenge post there. You can also become a fan of the I Love Reading Challenges Facebook fan page and keep you list there as well.
Reading one of the 7 Harry Potter books earns you 25 house points. You can only read this books once during the challenge. 15 points for any other Harry Potter related book such as Tales of Beedle the Bard or A Parent's Guide to Harry Potter, again these books and only be read once during the challenge.

The Houses
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin


COURSES
Transfiguration - read any book that has trans or figure in its title, is about shape shifting, has a shape shifter in it, or is about anythiThing having to do with changing one thing into another
1. book
2. book

Defence Against the Dark Arts - read any book that has defence(defense), dark and/or art(s) in its title, read any book that is about self defense, war, history of war/marital arts, murder mysteries

Charms - read any book that has charm in its title, any book that deals with gives something or someone a new aspect (for example the nerdy guy become a handsome doctor)

Potions - read any book that has potion in its title, cookbooks count but you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Astronomy - read any book that has astronomy in its title, books about planets, stars, etc, sci-fi
1. book

History of Magic - read any book that has history or magic in its title, books about magic, witches, etc

Herbology - read any book that has herb in its title, again cookbooks count and again you must cook at least one recipe out of the book

Arithmancy - read any book that has arithmancy in its title, any book with a number in its title, any book that deal with numbers or math

Ancient Runes - read any book that has ancient or runes in its title, books about historical places like the pyramids, Stonehenge, great wall of china, or any book about symbols

Divination - read any book that has divine in its title, any book about psychics or psychic abilities, tarot reading etc
1. boook

Care of Magical Creatures - read any book that has magical or creatures in its title, about supernatural beings

Muggle Studies - nearly any book works here, what better way to understand Muggles than to read what they read

CLUBS & SPORTS

Charms Club
list book
Lesson:
list book

Dumbledore's Army (D.A.)

Music Appreciation and Great Intonation Club (M.A.G.I.C.)

Slug Club

Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare (S.P.E.W.)

Potions Club

3660 Minutes Reading Challenge

I have wanted to host a reading challenge ever since I started blogging. After looking through so many challenges I was shocked that not a single one had to do with reading with children. So here you have the 2012- 3660 Minutes Reading Challenge.


What is the Challenge? To spend 10 minutes every single day reading to our children. Since this year is a leap year there are 366 days hence 3660 minutes. The goal is to promote reading, increase imagination, foster a love of words, bolster comprehension skills, and spend quality time with the children in our lives.

Who Can Participate? Anyone who is welcome to join at any time so long as you have a child/children you can share love of reading to. If you are pregnant you can read aloud to your unborn baby. If you are a grandparent you can phone/skype your grandchild to read. If you are a babysitter you can read to the children you babysit. If you have younger brothers or sisters you can read to them. If you are a librarian you can read to children in the library. If you are a teacher you can read to your students. You do not have to a blogger nor do you have to review the books you and your child read but it is encouraged.

What Counts? This is very open ended. Newspapers, magazines,books, ebooks, audio-books, comics, poems, plays, internet articles count. Also having children write their own stories, write in diaries, word problems, learning the lyrics to songs, learning ABC's, writing out letters etc. Also discussion of what you just read counts! So if you want to read for 5 minutes then discuss it- IT COUNTS! Art projects surrounding books you are reading/have read together counts! Letting your child read to you counts. If you feel that what you are doing helps a child learn to love words/letters then yes it counts.

What Does not Count? Homework! Books they HAVE to read for school do not count. The only exception to this rule is if it is extra credit books for school.

How Long Will it Run For? From January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012

Can I Skip a Day?  The goal is to read every day but if you can't for some reason (ie you are a teacher and don't see your students on weekend) then you need to make up those minutes. At the end of the year you want to have in 3660 minutes of reading with children.

Can I Cheat/Lower the Goal?  Well yes you can but really the person you are cheating is the children. Really who wants to do that?

Can I do More Than 10 Minutes a Day? YES!!! 10 minutes is the minimum but more than that is not only acceptable it is encouraged! It also helps bank up minutes for those days you are unable to read.

How Do I Check In?  OK so let us admit it most of us are bad at checking in on these things. So I will try and post up on the 1st of every month a thread for us to update on. Tell us what you have been reading. Have you been successful? Give suggestions of books to read. Did you come up with a creative activity to get your children excited about it?

I'm a Blogger Do I Need to Post to my Blog? No you do not need to post to your blog but it is encouraged. It will also help during the monthly check ins if you want people to just read posts on what you have been doing with your children. While not required please put up an introductory post to help promote the challenge.

I'm Not a Blogger How do I Sign Up?  You can simply leave a comment below and check in on the 1st of the month to let us know how you are doing.

Young Adult Blog Tour- A Banshee's Tale- Veronica Breville Book Review and Giveaway

I'm happy to be a hosting blog for the TWCS Young Adult Blog Tour. As part of the tour I was given the opportunity to read and review the book A Banshee's Tale by Veronica Breville. Veronica grew up in East Kansas surrounded by family. Her grandmother Helen sparked a love of books and reading. She is a mother to three beautiful daughters and a lovable Wheaton Terrier. Veronica now lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.
A Banshee's Tale is about a young teen name Catherine. She grows up scorned by most of her fellow classmates. Just before she turns sixteen she finds out she is a Guide or as they call them in her parents native land a Banshee. She is trained by her aunt who is a fellow Banshee on how to guide spirits on to their chosen path. She is left to rely on the help of her aunt, her psychic best friend, and her attractive bodyguard Zane.
I enjoyed this book. I loved that Catherine had a large Irish family who were all helpful and loving. I liked that even though she developed special powers there were consequences if she tried to use them to manipulate other people. She was not made an all powerful person. I did find that the book could have used a bit more editing to tidy up a few small errors and to tighten up some plot points. But those small needs for edits did not entirely detract from the book and were barely noticeable.  I also wish that there had been more description of the training she was doing to learn how to be a Guide. Over all I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more books by this author. I give the book 3 and half stars out of 5. With some editing it would definitely bump up to a 4-4.5 star book 

Book Review: Watch Over Our Water by Lisa Bullard

I was excited to read this book to my son. I'm very big on trying to conserve, reduce, reuse, recycling and saving our planet in general. It just plain makes sense. Watch Over Our Water is a childrens book that gives information about our planet's drinking water. It has tips on how to conserve water and ways to keep drinking water safe.

I admit I was a bit afraid that it would end up being too preachy or too "textbook" but it was a perfect balance. There was enough silliness to keep my son listening but not so much information that he couldn't understand what was being said. Concepts were put simply and in ways that children can understand. The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous! My son immediately wanted me to read it to him again! He then made me go through a third time so he could point out the different things in the pictures! I would call this one a winner! I give it 5 out of 5!