Giveaway: The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies On Blu-Ray.

My Circus can't grasp that when I say I studied "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in Jr. High School, I mean we really studied it.  We read them all the way through, tested on them, wrote essays on them, and spent class after class talking about them.

For three years.

Being the lucky soul that I am, I was in a certain program in Jr. High which led me to have the same teachers in every subject, year after year.

Generally that was okay, I was a good kid, and an excellent student, and my teachers were pretty cool, but it's a wonder that I actually still like JRR Tolkien , as I had a strong aversion to my English teacher.  It took a certain level of patience and tolerance to stand her personality, none of which I was willing to give her in all my adolescent glory.

To be fair, she didn't like me either and was always making underhand remarks about me to the class.

So I think my intolerance was justified to say the least.

As it is, this post isn't about my Jr. High English teacher.

It's about JRR Tolkien.

More specifically, it's about me giving away a blu-ray of the The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

Argue if you must that the books are always better than the movies.  Argue if you must about the storyline changes.

Argue if you must, but frankly, I find myself being a solid fan of both the books and the movies.  And I'm pretty stoked to be giving this movie away to one of you.

Here's what you have to do:
Take this quiz and see if you're brave like Bilbo. (Warner Home Video's rules, not mine, so go with it.  It was kind of fun in that cheesy quiz way so I can get behind it.  For the record I am brave like Bilbo.)



Now tell me in the comments, are you?

I will choose a winner from the comments on Thursday April 9th at 11:59 pm.  Or if I'm being honest, I'll choose it on Friday April 10th around 8:30 am, but I'll be looking at the comments that hit before midnight... so either way, get your comment in before the end of April 9th.  Winner will be notified by email, so please make sure I have a valid email to contact you.

To be fair, there are some rules. Each household is only eligible to win One (1) Blu-ray The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.  Open to the US and Canada.

Also, this:


I didn't receive anything for writing this post, but Warner Home Video is fronting the prize, so there's that.

And guys!

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them,
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

Which isn't The Hobbit, but The Hobbit begins it all and it's now time to geek out and re-watch the trilogy.  All.  Weekend.  Long.

Holiday Wishes: Idina Menzel

I remember sitting on my couch in my rented house in Vernal with my four young kids running here and there around me.  We had been relaxing to some PBS cartoon of some sort, I can't remember which one now, and at the end of the show the spell had been broken and my girls were running crazytown again.

I know you've been there.

But the TV had captured my attention.  After the cartoon finished a documentary of sorts came on, talking about a new Broadway musical coming out very soon about the Wicked Witch of the West.  I watched as they proceeded to tell a bit about the story line and introduced the singers who would be preforming in this new Broadway.

I was captivated.

It's not that I've ever really had a thing for Broadway, or even the Wizard of Oz, but of all things I always love a good villain (the wicked queen in Snow White, Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty, and of course, the Wicked Witch of the West) and to see a spin on the Wicked Witch's side of the story caught my attention completely.

(I'll insert here that I was as equally excited about Maleficent when it came out)

Going to New York to see a new Broadway show wasn't in the books for me.  But I bought and read the book it was based on, and I bought the soundtrack and memorized every song, trying to fill in the missing details that might be played out on stage in between the clues I was receiving through song.

At my divorce Idina Menzel's "Defying Gravity" resonated in my soul with the lines:
"So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me
Tell them how I am
Defying gravity
I'm flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I'll match them in renown!
And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!"

I was able to see Wicked in Salt Lake City and it was every bit as magnificent as I had hoped it would be.  I was on the edge of my seat, hanging on every word, drawn into every song.  And though it wasn't Idina Menzel in the production, I loved her even more after watching that song come to life in front of me.

Idina Menzel's voice has become a favorite of mine.

Enter Frozen.

Need I say more?

Actually, yes, I do.

Because she now has a holiday album called Holiday Wishes.  It's my new favorite "go to" holiday CD.  Sorry, Collin Raye Christmas, we had a good run, but it's time for something new.

Holiday Wishes is out now on Warner Bros. Records.

The album was produced by Grammy Award-winner Walter Afanasieff (Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey) and features such classic favorites as “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” as well as Joni Mitchell’s Christmas-themed “River,” one of Menzel’s favorites.

Another highlight is a duet with international superstar Michael Bublé on “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” An exclusive Target edition of Holiday Wishes features two bonus tracks, including “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”.

Can I just say that duet with Michael Bublé is on repeat in my car right now?

Spot on.



You can find the album on iTunes HERE or on Amazon HERE.

Also, Idina's official social media:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube

I participated in the Idina Menzel Holiday Wishes album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my own.

LDS Temple Medallions: A Giveaway.

Temples have been on my mind recently.

They've become a part of my quiet contemplation as I'm commuting on Trax.

They've become a part of my monthly routine.

They've been a topic of discussion lately in Sunday school.

We've been studying Ezekiel in Sunday school, actually, and one thing that was said recently has really stuck with me.

The temple is the one place that connects this world with the next.  It is "the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever..." (Ezekiel 43:7)

"The place of the soles of my feet"... it is where he walks.  In the midst of us.

And we get to be there.

This is something that I want my girls to understand, to comprehend, to feel.

There's a website called LDS Temple Medallions where you can buy these beautiful medallions to wear (or otherwise display).

Tayler will be turning 12 in a few months, and in anticipation of her being able to visit the temple I'm giving her a medallion.  I hope it will get her excited, and remind her of what she's going to be able to be a part of.

I hope she'll learn about the temple.

And love it.

I actually get to give not one, but two medallions away this week.  Two of you will be able to win one medallion of your choice.  The giveaway opens today and will run for one week until midnight on December 10th.  Winner will be contacted by email so make sure the email you use on the rafflecopter is one you check regularly.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I really do love to see the temple, and I'm excited to have found this website.  They have a large selection of temples, so whether you want a reminder of one that's near you, one that was part of your mission, or one that holds a special meaning to you for any other reason, you'll probably find it in their selection.

The prices are surprisingly affordable as well.

And just in time for Christmas.

I did receive a medallion in exchange for hosting this giveaway, but the words, thoughts, and opinions are all my own.

The Watchers Book 1: Knight of Light.

The search for a good book that's actually worth reading continues.  And as promised, when I find one I'm passing it on.  I like to sink my teeth into all sorts of books, and am even enjoy reading a book that doesn't end happy, but makes you think and reflect on life.  One of my favorite genres, though, is a solid fantasy/fairy tale.

I just love escaping into a new world.

If you're the same way then you should check out this book.

The Watchers Book 1: Knight of Light

In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity. Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, and monsters, Knight of Light is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.
The Watchers Series has been described as Braveheart meets Supernatural. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include The Dead Sea Scrolls, The Traditional Apocrypha, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Kabbalah.

“The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the Book of Enoch mentions, some of these Watchers go bad. Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden’s The Watchers Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions.

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Wattpad  Pinterest

About the Author

"My goal in writing is to saturate my books with intrigue, mystery, romance, and plot twists that will keep my readers in suspense. I want to see fingerprints on the front and back covers where readers have gripped the novel with white knuckles! Aside from writing, I enjoy jousting in arenas, planning invasions, horseback riding through open meadows, swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, camping in cool shady woods, climbing trees barefoot, and going on adventures."
-Deirdra Eden

Find Deirdra Eden and The Watchers Series online on Amazon, Deirdra's website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Wattpad, and Pinterest.

Want a chance to win this book?  Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I did receive a copy of the ebook in exchange for this post, but my opinion is all my own.

Dark Hope: Book One of the Archangel Series. Giveaway.

It's a constant struggle as a bookworm mother, who is also an English major, who has bookworm teenage daughters, to find a book that lives up to the high expectations I have when it comes to filling my time with reading.

Because, let's face it, I love to read.

I will ignore every dirty dish, I will tell The Circus to eat ramen for dinner, I will miss night after night of decent sleep just to finish the book I've gotten myself engulfed in.

Apparently I've taught my daughters to be the same way.

The only problem is that it is really difficult to find a book that  has a grabbing story line, is written really well, and is a clean book with no swearing or inappropriate scenes for my teenage and pre-teen daughters to be reading.

That is strangely difficult to find, and it's a real shame.

So I've decided that when we find a book that meets our high expectations, because if I'm going to be spending so much of my precious, limited free time on it, it's going to have to be worth it, I'm going to share it with you.

And I hope that you'll do the same for me.

We've recently just finished a book called Dark Hope: Book One of the Archangel Series, by Monica McGurk.

This book obviously falls into the scope of the fantasy genre, which happens to be our favorite type of genre.

It doesn't swear.

It doesn't have scenes that make me cringe when I think of my daughters reading it.

Though it does touch on some sensitive subjects, such as human trafficking, but  I feel it handles them well and appropriately, while building the climax of the story.

For a split second the heroine, Hope, and her relationship with Michael reminded me of a certain vampire series that I don't want to admit I read (*cough cough* Twilight Series *cough cough*) but it only lasted for a few seconds as it built into a solid lead into the relationship of Hope and Michael.  I didn't want to read about a helpless, incompetent female character that needs to be saved and seems to be a burden on every other character of the book.

I'm happy to say that this book, is not that book.

I'm happy to say that Hope is a solid heroine.

Monica McGurk loves nothing better than to craft thought-provoking stories where strong women overcome big challenges.

This book is 400 pages and I read it in 3 days, around school and work and church obligations and kids' birthdays.

Hook, line, and sinker, I got sucked in. And I relished every minute of it.

But then again, I am a sucker for young adult fantasy.

Dark Hope is the first book of a trilogy, so I'm looking forward to the rest of  the series to come out.

Curse you cliff hangers.

Curse you.

Good news, guys, I get to give a copy of Dark Hope away!  Just enter below on the rafflecopter.  It opens now and runs until 11:59 pm on Monday September 8th.  Winner will be notified by email so please make sure that the email you use for the rafflecopter is a current one that you check.  For US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I like that the whole "archangel" scene is a different pace from that YA books that have been floating around recently.  I'm excited to share it with you.

You can find Monica McGurk on:
Twitter here
Facebook here
Pinterest here

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Bulletproof Picasso.

There are a few bands that I get excited about.

Set my iPod to repeat and wear the album out, excited.

Roll the windows down and crank that sucker up and sing at the top of my lungs, no matter who's watching, excited.

Know every single word, vocal, and instrumental beat, rhythm, and cadence, excited.

I get this excited about four bands, to be exact.

One of these bands is Train.

Imagine my excitement when Train's new album, Bulletproof Picasso, showed up in my inbox a whole two weeks before it releases.

The thing I love about Train, aside from their catchy beats that get stuck in your head for days, is the clever nuggets they slip into their lyrics.  I smile every time I hear one, like I have an inside joke with them.

Train's Bulletproof Picasso did not disappoint.

You've probably already heard one of the new songs bouncing around the radio, Angel in Blue Jeans, which has soared to the Top 15 of Triple A and Adult Top 40 radio in only a month, joining the band’s successful arsenal of other radio-embraced singles throughout their two-decade career.



Along with Angel in Blue Jeans, I immediately fell in love with the songs Bulletproof Picasso, Wonder What You're Doing For the Rest of Your Life, Don't Grow Up So Fast, Cadillac, Cadillac, Son of a Prison Guard, Just a Memory, Give It All, The Bridge, I'm Drinkin' Tonight, Baby, Happy Birthday (yes!), and I Will Remember.

Oh wait, did I just mention every song on the album?

Guys, it's that good.  Work of genius talent.

Here's a preview of the song Bulletproof Picasso for you to hear before it's even out:



If you're a Train fan you're not going to go wrong with this one, they blew it out of the water like they always do.

If you're not a Train fan, we can't be friends anymore.

You might want to rethink that.

Other helpful information?

You can catch Train performing live on QVC this Friday, September 5th at 5:00 pm eastern time.

Bulletproof Picasso releases on September 16, 2014. You can pre-order the album Bulletproof Picasso on iTunes HERE or through Amazon HERE.

Also, follow Train on their social media:
Official Train website here
Train on twitter here
Train on YouTube here
Train on facebook here

I participated in the Train Bulletproof Picasso album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own.

Giveaway: Mutineers CD by David Gray

Have you listened to David Gray yet?

You can read my post on him HERE and check out this song from his upcoming CD, which will be released on June 17th:



How would you like a new CD, just in time to roll the windows down in your car and crank the radio up?  I've been given the opportunity to give his new CD, Mutineers, away to one of my readers.

You can win it before anyone can buy it.

It's easy, just fill out the rafflecopter below.

This giveaway will open today and run for one week, closing at midnight on June 4.  Winner will be contacted by email so make sure the email you use for the rafflecopter is a current one.

Also, take note that you can tweet for entries every day while the giveaway is open.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can pre-order Mutineers on iTunes HERE or Amazon HERE.

David Gray's Official website HERE
 Instagram HERE
Facebook HERE
Twitter HERE
YouTube HERE

This is the part where I say I did received a free download of the album to review from One2One Network, but I was more than happy to listen to it and my opinion is completely my own.  It's good stuff.  Check it out.