tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26853669445604532452024-03-05T04:05:30.321-05:00Fun Smart ReviewsA fun blog by a fun teen.StuffSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04990062586481643369noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-9103526970155021512014-04-19T13:42:00.000-04:002014-04-19T13:42:52.120-04:00<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20526746-polarity" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Polarity" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1389732023m/20526746.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20526746-polarity">Polarity</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7762139.Susan_Meraki">Susan Meraki</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/840969510">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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~I received this book for free from Susan Meraki through Goodreads. These opinions are my own~<br />
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Polarity is over 300 pages long, and every page makes a huge contribution towards what unfolds to be a well thought-out, thought provoking story.<br />
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I'll be vague at the beginning of this review, and leave content that may contain spoilers until the end, for people reading this that haven't read the book yet. Usually I can write a review without referring to specific plot points, but with this novel, there were some genius moments that I must react to individually.<br />
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I will say that the best part about the book is that it leads you to interpret the events a certain way, when they are, in truth, the complete opposite. You see characters and are only shown tidbits of their actions at a time, and often are left to guess at their motives. That is beautifully done, because it leaves the reader to search for small details that may lead them to the story's outcome, and even then, they can't be sure. For instance, you are introduced to two extremes of a sense referred to as 'polarity' and immediately want to dictate which side is 'good' and which side is 'evil.' When you think you have discovered the answer to this, you realize that actions you thought had good motives behind them, actually were quite contrary.<br />
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There are several places with slight errors, such as a sentence feeling incomplete, like, for example, "After grabbing her bag to make sure she had her notebook and pens." But there are only a few of these instances, and they do not heavily impact the reading experience.<br />
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As far as characters go, there was a strong variety of colorful personalities that are revealed throughout the narrative. Though the protagonist, Susie, could be seen as a "Mary Sue" character, I feel that this was an intentional choice; when you first meet her, she is supposed to be a girl trapped in a rather dull life, who won't allow anything in her life to be out of place. However, she is a dynamic character who, through her experiences with characters like Dan, grows into a person who strives to stop suppressing her true personality.<br />
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<a class="jsShowSpoiler spoilerAction" href="">(view spoiler)</a><span class="spoilerContainer" style="display: none;">[Dan is a brilliantly written character, because the reader is led to trust him, and to see him as a guy with good intentions, when really, he was doing just the opposite of what he said he was. It really was an ingenious tactic to pretend he was protecting Susie so he could more easily kill her, because it brought her closer to him, and she was only seeing his side of the story. It's almost frustrating to find out the side he is really on because you want, as a reader, to like him. Characters like him and Harold seem so kind and likable, but that is their facade. I found Rich to be a bit less likable, but he does serve to show an interesting perspective of polarity which is slightly different that what Dan had told Susie so far.<br /><br />This goes the same way with Father Crane, Frank, and Spike, because it is easy- given the vague passages through which the reader is shown their actions- to believe that they are evil, violent, and insensitive.<br /><br />For at least the first half of the book, it is also easy to assume that Dan and Father Crane are on the same side of the spectrum, given that they come from the same monastery with the priest mentoring the boy in may ways. However, with a look back at the book's opening chapter, it is obvious that Dan has developed this internal motivation to sharpen his abilities beyond that of his mentor.<br /><br />There are so many small instances that hint at the novel's outcome that are easily overlooked. One thing I did pick up on was Susie becoming faint whenever she was near Frank or Spike, such as in the botanical gardens, in front of the taxi, and at the airport. This suggested that Susie was developing the same polarity as Frank and Spike, which explains why Dan, having the opposite polarity, was sent to eliminate her. I did not pick up on her bringing the parachute, though I feel I should have. It was a detail hidden earlier in the text and easily forgotten, but expertly used. <a class="jsHideSpoiler spoilerAction" href="">(hide spoiler)</a>]</span><br />
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I was very happy at the open ending, which suggests a sequel. I am eager to read it as soon as it is released, and, in the meantime, will be recommending Polarity to several friends of mine. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel!<br />
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FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-27186014960169525132014-01-30T13:12:00.000-05:002014-01-30T13:13:13.384-05:00Dallas Lalone: In Our Words<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18627862-dallas-lalone" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Dallas Lalone: In Our Words" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1380949964m/18627862.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18627862-dallas-lalone">Dallas Lalone: In Our Words</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832760.Jodi_R_Moore">Jodi R. Moore</a><br />
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/839186938">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I received this book from Jodi R. Moore to review. A review of her other book, Let's Face It, can be found here:<br />
<a href="http://funsmartreviews.blogspot.com/2012/06/lets-face-it.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://funsmartreviews.blogspot.com/2...</a><br />
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Dallas Lalone: In Our Words, is a young adult novel about three girls, Ashley, Lauren, and Hannah, each learning to overcome their individual struggles. At the beginning of the book, Ashley is suffering from an injury that impedes her ability to participate in dancing, which is her passion. Lauren's parents are considering a divorce due to drama in the media about Lauren's father, a famous director, rumors of a presumable affair. Hannah is lacking confidence of her abilities and interests, and in turn is struggling to deal with bullying from her peers. The girls happen to meet over Thanksgiving break, when, upon meeting, Hannah introduces Ashley and Lauren to videos of her favorite YouTuber, Dallas Lalone. Throughout the rest of the book , through their friendship and shared interest in Dallas, the girls learn to cope with their circumstances.<br />
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It is amazing that this book encourages girls to look to their friends for support rather than do what so many teens are pressured to do- put out a false image of themselves in order to gain validation from others. Young girls need to know that the best way to have an enjoyable and satisfying middle and high school years is to stop stifling their real selves and spend time with people who don't force them to hide.<br />
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The novel is written in a simple style, almost like short journal entries from each of our protagonists. While each girl has individual quirks and interests, their voice in writing is almost uniform, which might be something to look at. For interest, in Let's Face It, Kaylin was intelligent and witty, so both characteristics clearly came across from her as the speaker of the book. It might have added to the personalities and relatability of the girls if they had each written a bit differently. <br />
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I found this book to be a simple, positive read, likely geared towards younger girls who have anxieties about putting themselves out there and embracing their unique talents, even those they didn't know they had. I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book and will likely pass it along to my younger cousin in a few years.
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FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-36155295708141742432013-01-03T04:07:00.000-05:002013-01-13T18:06:31.614-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/880565.Kashimashi_Vol_1" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Kashimashi Vol 1" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312066182m/880565.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/880565.Kashimashi_Vol_1">Kashimashi Vol 1</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/291036.Satoru_Akahori">Satoru Akahori</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/491910523">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I received this book as a Christmas gift, as I'm up to read pretty much any shoujo manga I can get my hands on. I needed a new one to read, so this seemed good enough.<br />
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Let' s just say... it was interesting. Like most mangas, it only took me a couple hours in total to complete. The story was about a boy named Hazumu, who takes notice of all the beauty around him and is even told by one of the three main characters, Yasuna, that he has "the power to make the world beautiful". He has always been thought of as a bit feminine and fragile, and has been picked on since childhood. His childhood friend, Tomari, has always acted as sort of a body guard for him, in the process secretly developing feelings for him. One night, after being rejected by Yasuna when he finally had the guts to ask her out, he runs off to the mountains. Then, BOOM! He is squashed by an alien spaceship. That' s where the story starts to get really bizarre.<br />
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The aliens reconstruct his body, but for they accidentally make him a girl. For some unexplained reason, this is irreversible. Oops. And if what has happened so far isn't unrealistic enough, everyone around Hazumu starts acting like he/she can just automatically adjust to this change. All the guys around her, including her former best guy friend, suddenly start acting like HUGE perverts, and both of the girls that used to have a crush on him are just plain shocked, but still sort of forcing her to become girlish. Her parents are oddly delighted about the accident, and seem hardly concerned about Hazumu's feelings. These are some of the many reasons why I found that the plot didn't really fit together, or make sense.<br />
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It was an interesting idea for a story I guess; a guy suddenly being forced into the confusion of being a teenage girl. But, all said and done, it just wasn't something that worked. At least not for me. In a way, it was interesting, or at least enough so that I read to the end, but I don't think I would recommend it to anybody. It was just too unrealistic for me, with too many unexplained concepts that were just forced on the reader.<br />
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Maybe someone else would enjoy this type of story,it just wasn't one for me, other than to occupy a few lazy hours of my day.
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FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-75652076500827402582013-01-03T03:12:00.001-05:002013-01-13T18:11:35.177-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16282253-just-a-little-crush" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Just a Little Crush" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1354914695m/16282253.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16282253-just-a-little-crush">Just a Little Crush</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449464.Tracie_Puckett">Tracie Puckett</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/493517163">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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When I found this ebook, I was looking for a short, young adult sort of romance story. I wanted something that would catch my attention and keep me occupied, but at the same time be an easy read that I could recommend to my friends. That's exactly what I found in Just a Little Crush.<br />
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It didn't take very long to read, but at the same time it had a developed storyline, that was both unique and believable. You meet this teen that has been struck hard by the death of her parents, and becoming aware that she needs to face what' s been troubling her. She has to shadow a handsome young police officer as part of a school assignment, and naturally, being underneath it all a hormonal teenager, she starts to fall for him. The officer isn't a perfect Prince Charming, known for his snide remarks and straight-to-the-point attitude, but come on, who doesn't get tired of YA stories always having "perfect" guys. His unique personality just added to the story in my opinion.<br />
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All that being said, I do have a few criticisms. For me, I would have to say that the relationship developed a smidge too quickly. I mean, it wasn't long after they met each other that they started recognizing each other's feelings outside of the assignment at hand. One second they'd be arguing, then the next they' d be walking in a forest, hand in hand (literally). But I didn't see this to be a HUGE take-away from the story, as by the end, I wasn't ready to stop reading. I didn't really feel like the story should be over quite yet, which is probably partly due to the short length of the story. But I do feel like it ended smoothly, rather than just crashing to an end abruptly. Of course, there are also the other books in the series, which I look forward to reading. This is definitely a story that leaves you wanting more!<br />
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At first, I wasn't sure if I should take the time to read such a short story, that seemed like it couldn't possibly amount to anything in Just 80-something pages. But once you read the story, you' ll see that it really does.<br />
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Just a Little Crush is a quick, feel-good read with a unique plot and believable characters that add up to story that is definitely worth your time!
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FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-66146997039277457742012-10-28T08:46:00.000-04:002012-10-28T08:47:42.419-04:00Touching Spirit Bear<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/147243.Touching_Spirit_Bear" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Touching Spirit Bear (Spirit Bear, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1348090183m/147243.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/147243.Touching_Spirit_Bear">Touching Spirit Bear</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/62433.Ben_Mikaelsen">Ben Mikaelsen</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/441790551">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Touching Spirit Bear is one of those books that you pick up in the early afternoon because you don't have anything else to do, but then you get so lost in the plot that you can't go to sleep until 1 a.m., when you've read it cover to cover. It had been way too long since I had read another book like that.<br /><br /> This book was already one that I was going to have to read for a class, but since the reading is at our own pace, I decided to get a head-start. At first, the title bothered me. This story was going to be deep, I could tell that, so my first thought was- BORING! But first impressions are usually incorrect, and it wasn't long into the story that I realized that was the case. As you can tell from the synopsis, the story is about a juvenile delinquent, who was forced to choose between jail and time on an Alaskan island. He chooses the island, but gets way more than he bargained for, with a bear encounter he will remember forever. Whenever the main character of a story has some spunk,you're in for an interesting, and quite humorous story. Humor between Cole, his parole officer Garvey,and the Tinglit Indian, Edwin, keeps the story light enough through all of the heavy themes discussed. I found myself laughing out loud at times.<br /><br /> At the beginning of the story, Cole is stubborn, and thinks his manipulating people is the only way for him to keep power. Throughout the book, however, though the Indian rituals that he used to mock, he learns things like how false that power really is. If you're looking for an example of a dynamic character, Cole definitely fits the bill. I won't say how, but by the end of the story, you can definitely tell a difference.<br /><br /> This book is very gruesome at times. Keep in mind that Cole gets mauled by a bear and is taking desperate measures to stay alive. But I don't think that this is anything that even, say, a ten year old couldn't handle, so don't let it stop you from reading it! It doesn't take away from the story at all, and if anything it supports how Cole is feeling. If this doesn't make any since now, just trust me. It will when you read the book.<br /><br /> I will be honest and say that as a teenager, this year I have found very few books that I would spend my whole day reading, and have trouble putting down. Most were a chore to read at times, and I would gladly take the end of a chapter as an opportunity to take a break from it for a while. With this book, I would see that I was on chapter 9, then next thing I know I'm starting chapter 17! And these were pretty reasonably-sized chapters.<br /><br /> Coming out of reading this book, I can definitely say it was a feel-good one. Though there were many trails Cole had to face, you find yourself proud of what he accomplishes, and wonder if the island could do anything in your life. It's one of those books that you have a hard time imagining viewing the world the same way afterwards. I am so glad I was required to read Touching Spirit Bear, because I'm almost positive I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. It's one of those books that you just wish you could show everyone. I didn't know how much I needed one of those books until I read it. And I'm so glad I did.<br /><br />Read this review and more at <a href="http://funsmartreviews.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://funsmartreviews.blogspot.com/</a>
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FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-90461816999297891182012-07-31T02:32:00.000-04:002012-07-31T02:32:27.960-04:00Flightless Goose by Eric D. Goodman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaOiaTfSRgcPDFK5DdwWeYE0IRLIrFgeT_oV9le5PEUCOJE871XpKrK4YdEQHV7_eTEx0DDQFNE9QUYeWw5aJ7RGs0c_sfJPLYn1mfhxDRyLIla0BoL1iveziBf5ZsblSGWFXeoXBrZI/s1600/Flightless+Goose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaOiaTfSRgcPDFK5DdwWeYE0IRLIrFgeT_oV9le5PEUCOJE871XpKrK4YdEQHV7_eTEx0DDQFNE9QUYeWw5aJ7RGs0c_sfJPLYn1mfhxDRyLIla0BoL1iveziBf5ZsblSGWFXeoXBrZI/s1600/Flightless+Goose.jpg" /></a></div>
Truly heartwarming story about goose named Gilbert, who learned to live with a terrible injury, even though it made him different. With the help of his friend Charlie, a little boy that is also physically impaired, he becomes the biggest hero of all. I think this uplifting story has all a children's book needs. The copy I have came with a CD, where the story really comes to life, with the perfect readers and vivid sound effects. My younger cousins kept begging me to play it again so they could here the "creepy" part with the bad guys. But not only were they entertained by it, but I could really tell that they understood the valuable message being told. So really, the way the theme is presented is wonderful to help young children grasp the lesson. In this way, I feel like it would be a great resource for a guidance counselor to use when teaching a lesson about bullying or diversity, without the ideas feeling forced. It would also simply be a good babysitter's companion, to keep the kids busy. So I give this a 5, for the illustrations, CD, and most importantly, the essential message of the story, that you can thrive even with your differences, and overcome whatever is holding you back, because that can make you stronger!FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-88735308253551699752012-06-11T13:41:00.000-04:002012-06-11T13:41:22.822-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8080731-voyage-on-the-great-titanic" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Voyage On The Great Titanic (Dear America)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328838095m/8080731.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8080731-voyage-on-the-great-titanic">Voyage On The Great Titanic</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/98688.Ellen_Emerson_White">Ellen Emerson White</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/346186994">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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The story of the Titanic has been told in many ways, from many perspectives. Yet, no matter how many times I hear the testimony of a survivor, their stories of love, and loss, I can't help but be pulled in by the haunting event. This book brought tears to my eyes, and made me feel for Margaret, because by the end of the book, I felt like I really knew her. For an author to create a character that makes you feel that way, is just amazing!<br />
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This book is not long, or complex, but it contains the intriguing story of a girl who by chance, gets the opportunity to take the trip of a lifetime on the Titanic, which, of course, takes a turn for the worst. You see the luxury and beauty of the Titanic through the eyes of a girl who would never have dreamed of gaining passage on it, especially not on First Class. This story has the perfect mix of humor, a surprising dash of romance, and sadly, when it came to it, tragedy. And it was so realistic!<br />
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I've been reading books from the Dear America and Dear America Royal series for years, and they will not stop striking me with their historical charm and feeling of girl power in every story. Two thumbs up to Ellen Emerson White, who continually amazed me in this tear-jerking spin on the mysterious tragedy that affected so many.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/9778956-funsmart">View all my reviews</a>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-59066461432384242082012-06-10T14:51:00.000-04:002012-06-10T14:51:49.305-04:00Let's Face It<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13641599-let-s-face-it" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Let's Face It" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1336616156m/13641599.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13641599-let-s-face-it">Let's Face It</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832760.Jodi_R_Moore">Jodi R. Moore</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/339481345">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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First off, I would like to thank Jodi R. Moore, for sending me a copy of Let's Face It to honestly review. I love getting these kind of opportunities! Now, about the book...<br />
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Let's Face It is a humorous, inspiring story about teenage Kaylin, whose had enough of empty promises of "smooth, even-toned" skin from many facial cleansing products on the market. She's tired of products that might hide blemishes for a while, but don't stop new ones from popping up overnight. All she wants is a cure, and a permanent one. Kaylin feels so strongly about this that she is even willing to work a few weeks at Tomlin & Tomlin, a company that has come out with so many products that she knows first-hand don't work. All the while she's left wondering how Sean, her long time crush, actually feels about her, but is he actually worth it? Or is there someone else that will appreciate her more for who she is?<br />
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This novel is surely like no other, and from the first page, you won't want to put it down. With so many paranormal books out there (which are still awesome, just common), this book is really something different. It is realistic, and that's what makes it so compelling. It's what makes you want to join Kaylin, and help her reach the cure with her. And also, it's what keeps you rooting for her till the end. For me, well, it's what made me stay up all night reading it to find out if Kaylin reached her goal.<br />
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If you want a book that will encourage you, inspire you, and provoke so much emotion while staying quick and light, read Let's Face It, and discover how much you can achieve.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/9778956-funsmart">View all my reviews</a>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-23584280507145236562012-05-30T12:48:00.000-04:002012-05-30T12:48:02.970-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12287458-six-weeks-to-yehidah" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Six Weeks to Yehidah" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1328148542m/12287458.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12287458-six-weeks-to-yehidah">Six Weeks to Yehidah</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5107224.Melissa_Studdard">Melissa Studdard</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/336601026">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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When I started this book, I expected a simple story about a little girl with talking animal friends that grows up to get everything she wanted. The End. Boy, was I wrong! This book is so much more! You meet Annalise, who soon finds herself in a land that can hardly be named. She is taken many places, all the while finding her way through obstacles, and meeting people or rather, beings. Annalise learns about the person she really is, and her connection with the world around her. Like any good story, this one ends with a twist; the surprises aren't over until the end.<br />
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I will admit, sometimes I had to take this book a chapter or two at a time, since it has such a deep dose of philosophy, which you sometimes have to let sink in. But, by all means, do not let this scare you away. In fact, by the end of the book, there is almost a calming feeling about it, and you feel like Annalise, with your mind opened to thoughts that will keep surfacing long after you have finished the book. This is why I would definitely recommend this book to anyone; pre-teen to adult.<br />
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Really, I couldn't finish this review without putting in a good word for the author. Melissa Studdard sent me this book to review on my blog, and she has been so kind since. I am so glad that I can meet people like her in my blogging, and I would be happy to review any book for anyone (contact information is available at my blog). That being said, whenever I review a book for someone, the opinions in that review are mine, and I am not told to write a certain thing.<br />
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So, if you are looking for a unique book that will open your mind to new thoughts, give Six Weeks to Yehidah a try!
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/9778956-funsmart">View all my reviews</a>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-41894961618803278582011-10-08T20:30:00.000-04:002011-10-08T20:30:40.421-04:00Howrse.com!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5M5Pex_BxNTWdF4WNi2NO7uAAw2Vva5u2yY60GhGK7zv6CxNkE-X3MpMai307t2n103I0VefwD2Yw3VlOODZaHKqKy6EwtyqpfhO_kJoQtpBndPpYvtvuHXF5jwM4CeG5undFoi8z2c/s1600/images+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5M5Pex_BxNTWdF4WNi2NO7uAAw2Vva5u2yY60GhGK7zv6CxNkE-X3MpMai307t2n103I0VefwD2Yw3VlOODZaHKqKy6EwtyqpfhO_kJoQtpBndPpYvtvuHXF5jwM4CeG5undFoi8z2c/s1600/images+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> If you are a teen or young adult that loves horses and virtual worlds, <a href="http://www.howrse.com/">http://www.howrse.com/</a> is the website for you. Howrse is a game where you can start your career as a virtual horse breeder, and work your way to success. You will start with one horse or pony of almost any breed or color, and gradually get more as you breed your horses. Each breed of horse/pony has special traits, and you can train them to compete in competitions against other players' horses. Once you reach 20 days of seniority, you can open your own equestrian center and earn equus (game currency) with each boarder. As you can see, there is much to do on this amazing website!</div><br />
I started playing on Howrse last month, and cannot stop! It is so entertaining, and I give it a 10/10 rating. My user name is Lollipop!99, and you can send me any questions you have about the game once I start. I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities. When creating your account, it will ask you the player who told you about Howrse (sponsor). Please type in my user name for that, and when you tell your friends about Howrse, tell them to type in your user name. If they do, you will get advantages as they make progress.<br />
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I hope you will enjoy this website as much as I do, and have much success as a horse breeder!FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-66105774468118745042011-09-17T08:21:00.018-04:002011-09-17T16:18:29.025-04:00Saltwater Taffy by Eric Delabarre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_lpfo8Ht6MnbDpZJABsb0KzOJFzShQb5wgcjkd85CpqV7lTtRRYIxvstwM2jzeySNn3NgvfueGlFmkbKrsVndtyyhJlaCfrGG-tTdlJSlYE3V8znBrtDQlO2z6BLiFvbbsZqZj5h9d8/s1600/SaltwaterTaffy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_lpfo8Ht6MnbDpZJABsb0KzOJFzShQb5wgcjkd85CpqV7lTtRRYIxvstwM2jzeySNn3NgvfueGlFmkbKrsVndtyyhJlaCfrGG-tTdlJSlYE3V8znBrtDQlO2z6BLiFvbbsZqZj5h9d8/s320/SaltwaterTaffy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Do you get a thrill when hearing about hidden treasures being found by everyday people? Do you wish that your age didn't keep you from making history? Then you can relate to Scooter, Gary, Jaq, Jimmy, and Zippy, a group of kids that are happy with who they are, and don't really want to be part of the popular crowd. Their hometown, Port Townsend, Washington, was founded by the grandson of the great pirate, Jean Laffite. Every year during pirate week, a new cipher is released in the paper, giving a new clue to finding the hidden Laffite treasure. As the five friends get caught up in the treasure hunt, they face unexpected complications, life threatening situations, and just plain old hardships of being a thirteen year-old!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div> I would definitely consider this a must read for most reluctant readers. It might open up the world of reading to them in a way they didn't think possible. This book has some good philosophy on living life as a teen and gives good advice about things such as believing in yourself and never giving up. This book is what I consider a 5 star book, and I highly recommend it. <a href="http://www.whatagreatbook.com/"><b>Eric Delabarre</b></a> has a way of pointing out new ideas and looking at things in a way in which they have never been looked at before. His way of showcasing thoughts and inner emotions will leave you looking at the world in a whole new way! Read this <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">saweet</span> read today!<br />
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I would recommend this book for readers 10+<br />
Check out <a href="http://www.whatagreatbook.com/">http://www.whatagreatbook.com/</a> and become a Taffy Head today.<br />
Saltwater Taffy is available in print and for Kindle at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0972357807?ie=UTF8&tag=stusma-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0972357807&redirect=true&ref_=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_i1"><b>Amazon.com</b></a><br />
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*A promotional copy of Saltwater Taffy was provided for review at no cost. No compensation was received for this post. The review and opinions expressed are funsmart's honest opinion.</span></div></div></div>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-2899385253248638702011-08-11T16:53:00.000-04:002011-08-11T16:53:37.734-04:00"Wii Play" Game for Nintendo Wii!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPV53gPxZu6UWwpv58OlIpydriH2wZ0m05S52ZDS0thBuBcQCN1fahcqYYxHCupWfXrcHrG2gRQsZ7V8ZJnVoSE2Er1H36xsJ5QSIcuSywDXoNx4LRTm4YWYgyIRizMa5s2v48-Q-zf8/s1600/Wii+Play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPV53gPxZu6UWwpv58OlIpydriH2wZ0m05S52ZDS0thBuBcQCN1fahcqYYxHCupWfXrcHrG2gRQsZ7V8ZJnVoSE2Er1H36xsJ5QSIcuSywDXoNx4LRTm4YWYgyIRizMa5s2v48-Q-zf8/s1600/Wii+Play.jpg" /></a></div> <br />
If you have a Nintendo Wii and are looking for a new game that is fun for the whole family, try Wii Play. This game includes classic past times such as Table Tennis and Billiards as well as new favorites such as "Find Mii" and "Laser Air Hockey". This variety makes Wii Play a game that is good for the whole family; every one is sure to find a game they will enjoy. <br />
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When you first start playing the game, you have to play each game once in order to unlock it. After that, you can play any of the games, any time you want to. One fun thing about the game is that you can play alone and try to get a gold medal in your favorite games, or grab a friend and battle it out to see who can win the most games. This is the perfect game for a family game night or a simple summer afternoon at home.<br />
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After you start playing, I'd love to hear your high scores! Here are some of mine:<br />
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Find Mii ~ 63 levels<br />
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Pose Mii ~ 549 points<br />
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Shooting Range ~ 490 points<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=stusma-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0013E9HP6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-90037953852692901532011-08-04T09:14:00.002-04:002011-08-04T09:14:00.699-04:00Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZNntoA1yraQFGjtiKp0HPy0bEfQNuL9RdIfUbJRqSS02SBynq7TPdap85GZPWr2MYN8JYg_70_UzLOf4nJJm7kDWD7qGDS3aW3CLPv92syiEkmsYPQfVdHvWuEpjx7PKCkdGwIWN8J4/s1600/Cats+%2526+Dogs%252C+The+Revenge+of+Kitty+Galore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZNntoA1yraQFGjtiKp0HPy0bEfQNuL9RdIfUbJRqSS02SBynq7TPdap85GZPWr2MYN8JYg_70_UzLOf4nJJm7kDWD7qGDS3aW3CLPv92syiEkmsYPQfVdHvWuEpjx7PKCkdGwIWN8J4/s320/Cats+%2526+Dogs%252C+The+Revenge+of+Kitty+Galore.jpg" t$="true" width="216" /></a></div> <br />
Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is an exciting and funny movie about a rejected police dog that finds himself on a mission with a spy agency made up of all dogs. When Kitty Galore, a cat seeking revenge on dogs and humans, cooks up a plan that will put all dogs in kennels, dogs and cats have to work together to foul her plan. Cats and Dogs have never worked together, so this mission is deffinitely a first for them. As cats and dogs grow closer together you will discover that they really can get along!<br />
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I saw this movie in 2D, but in the blu-ray3D/blu-ray/dvd/digital copy combo pack you can choose which way you want to see it ( you can only watch the movie in 3D if you have a 3D capable TV and Blu-Ray player). On a scale of one to five I would rate this movie a four. This is a great family movie for boys and girls of all ages!<br />
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<strong>Note: It is rated PG for mild language.</strong>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-15884124134249434392011-08-03T15:41:00.000-04:002011-08-03T15:41:59.522-04:00Wordless Wednesday ~ In the Butterfly Room at Ripley's Aquarium<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFr2iupmV-ZqzVbIX-OPDK4ZsDdalUzlraC5zYDV1W8Nk-b_y_zCBdvigd4t5eTI7Of8-aCqv4nwplgzpNgJY1Zls1AWlrV6tc5cR_9E25glVDHHk3T9TyzaXyitsU92mNo9w2ShPdhI/s1600/butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFr2iupmV-ZqzVbIX-OPDK4ZsDdalUzlraC5zYDV1W8Nk-b_y_zCBdvigd4t5eTI7Of8-aCqv4nwplgzpNgJY1Zls1AWlrV6tc5cR_9E25glVDHHk3T9TyzaXyitsU92mNo9w2ShPdhI/s320/butterfly.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-88729726597687748392011-08-02T16:54:00.001-04:002011-08-02T16:57:51.304-04:00Wii Fit Plus!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivdQKdNBCgzy09fsteNPoJRDFPe3ZGJD5AXwbJuP5KPla0QwgY22hFe-r7ZwqWQpRMdoO052LNoTReB2tc44e4J7NKA3d5Fj-yaiz16-XBxG1kBv84JXvTgu5mKiSqzivkH5Yl59Tmpg/s1600/Wii+Fit+Plus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivdQKdNBCgzy09fsteNPoJRDFPe3ZGJD5AXwbJuP5KPla0QwgY22hFe-r7ZwqWQpRMdoO052LNoTReB2tc44e4J7NKA3d5Fj-yaiz16-XBxG1kBv84JXvTgu5mKiSqzivkH5Yl59Tmpg/s1600/Wii+Fit+Plus.jpg" t$="true" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Did you know that a child should get in sixty minutes of excercise each day, (and an adult should get around thirty minutes) five or six days a week? Do you want to exercise routinely but aren't sure what to do or where to go to get a good, enjoyable work-out? Well, with the Wii Fit Plus, you can excercise with fun games in the comfort of your own home! You can start off with a daily "Body Test", which will give you a good idea of your weight, BMI (body mass index), and center of balance. If you continue the test, you can find out what shape your body is in with some bodly and mind tests chosen just for you. After your body test, be sure to warm up with some strengh training excercises. Two very nice excercises are the Lunge excercise (which helps you warm up and strenghen your legs) and the Tri-cep excercise, (which helps you warm up and tone your upper arms). After you finish warming up, try out some, balance or arobic games, whichever are more benefitial to you ( the wii fit balance board might suggest some games after your body test ). There are also Training Plus games, which aren't featured in the original Wii Fit game. These games include Snowbal Fight, Balance Bubble Plus, Obstacle Course, and more.</div><br />
After you finish your work-out, you can cool down and start to relax with some yoga poses. They will help improve your posture if you use them every day. Remember, cooling down is just as important as warming up!<br />
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I hope that this review has been helpful and will lead you to better health and wellness with the wii fit plus! Be sure to purchase both the wii fit board and game through my Amazon link. Have a great day!<br />
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</div><script charset="utf-8" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?rt=ss_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822/US/stusma-20/8001/544948b6-00b8-4b98-ba6a-ac52a7fd917f" type="text/javascript">
</script><noscript></noscript>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-63515760009980691002011-07-27T09:00:00.009-04:002011-07-27T09:00:26.612-04:00My First Wordless Wednesday ~To Cool you off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlCcnN1EuuOU8UEuFHcmxiXVOudQyY5pl6HmWGghJGgX7vcT4HJAWZ8oZd2wvfwe3a4sA_8EUMSEimL0vb-CDNTuXiW0Nm2XbHC6caneV00NUcaUx5v0x4ryITowY242LxQRsII1yjrs/s1600/IMG00589-20110110-1525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlCcnN1EuuOU8UEuFHcmxiXVOudQyY5pl6HmWGghJGgX7vcT4HJAWZ8oZd2wvfwe3a4sA_8EUMSEimL0vb-CDNTuXiW0Nm2XbHC6caneV00NUcaUx5v0x4ryITowY242LxQRsII1yjrs/s400/IMG00589-20110110-1525.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-25256895170332905812011-07-26T09:00:00.001-04:002011-08-03T15:47:59.999-04:00The Baby-Sitters Club Book 2: Claudia And The Phantom Phone Calls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC41SCWsdCSneXUJY8FxRDcj5nl7X1C305wVDIuFRsWLMhCKGgde_LQrupt4jvOj12OcbJ5XZPKH8qkIyMB5xYv0PSpmq08ZQEQ-_z7X5ouH3IvJpode15HoUQdr9E58rFTl-r7ONUvIA/s1600/The+Baby-Sitters+Club+Book+2%252C+Claudia+And+The+Phantom+Phone+Calls.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633477970987368754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC41SCWsdCSneXUJY8FxRDcj5nl7X1C305wVDIuFRsWLMhCKGgde_LQrupt4jvOj12OcbJ5XZPKH8qkIyMB5xYv0PSpmq08ZQEQ-_z7X5ouH3IvJpode15HoUQdr9E58rFTl-r7ONUvIA/s400/The+Baby-Sitters+Club+Book+2%252C+Claudia+And+The+Phantom+Phone+Calls.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 160px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 110px;" /></a><br />
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</div><div>That's right! Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacy are back and just as the are getting used to managing the BCS (Baby-Sitters Club ), a shocking story appears in the newspaper; a burglar has appeared in a town near Stoneybridge! The thief is notorious for calling innocent people and not saying a word, only calling to see if they are home. When the home owners leave, he breaks in and steals their valuable jewelry. The criminal has been nicknamed "The Phantom Caller". Through the eyes of Claudia Kishi, see how the Baby-Sitters deal with this new issue, which they hadn't ever thought about before: What if a burglar strikes when one of them is baby-sitting?! If you enjoyed Book 1: Kristy's Great Idea, you'll surely enjoy this sequel.<br />
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</div><div>This book is suspenseful, but also has a touch of humor, just the way I like it! I was already a big BSC fan after reading the first book, but the second book really had me wanting more! Although book two could pretty much stand by itself, if you're interested in learning how the Baby-Sitters Club was started, be sure to pick up a copy of <i>Kristy's Great Idea </i>using the Amazon widget on my post from two days ago.</div><div><br />
</div><div>As always, have a wonderful day and be sure to give me some feedback by leaving a quick comment. Feel free to leave a request if you want advice on the perfect books, snacks, or movies for you. I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.</div></div>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-34784970162116870102011-07-25T17:24:00.000-04:002011-07-25T17:24:35.980-04:00Carnation Instant Breakfast<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQlMtEbVm8ourLkuMtSwLa2Dm8zxytD5PZW0rpJiWxdssMp_J5Ii1PPzoDS-jhVFXyCPOvxUdRwHuvucb2G6Ud4AM9IG_zCQaYId6n-5ip0UlHumLAekn-NLVMGh8_Hf18cOix2xyqn8/s1600/Carnation+Instant+Breakfast.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633369345983785570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQlMtEbVm8ourLkuMtSwLa2Dm8zxytD5PZW0rpJiWxdssMp_J5Ii1PPzoDS-jhVFXyCPOvxUdRwHuvucb2G6Ud4AM9IG_zCQaYId6n-5ip0UlHumLAekn-NLVMGh8_Hf18cOix2xyqn8/s1600/Carnation+Instant+Breakfast.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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<div></div>Are you looking for a delicious and healthy drink that will go with almost any meal? Do you need more vitamins and minerals to get you through the day? Have you always enjoyed flavored milk? If the answer to these questions are yes, then read on to find out what Carnation Instant Breakfast can do for you!<br />
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You've probably tried a cold glass of milk with Nestle's Nesquick chocolate or strawberry drink mix, but have you tried Nestle's Carnation Instant Breakfast? It's just like the mix that kids have enjoyed for generations, but with a twist. This delectable drink mix is loaded with vitamins and minerals that are essential to your health. Coming in a variety of flavors ( including Rich Milk Chocolate, which is my favorite ), this mix can be purchased in a variety pack, perfect for customers that are trying to find the right flavor for them, or in a pack with one flavor.<br />
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I hope that my first blog post about food will spread the word that I will review just about anything, and I hope it inspires you to try some thing new; a product that with sure make your taste buds and body feel great!<br />
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</div>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-32212715246335843152011-07-24T21:40:00.012-04:002011-07-24T23:38:52.903-04:00The Baby-Sitters Club Book 1: Kristy's Great Idea<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6RB2mGE6v_m8i7157RGhJf7s8j4muGi4jlB8a1y6JS-Nhoc3f4s8d3vp2juWhsP8CSI1pkLEZJOZBcEuIrRpi2dGZgbEmKCUW1RurBhG-LYH09gAfJ9YJjzNKqt5l0S0IC3eX8vHs94/s1600/baby.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6RB2mGE6v_m8i7157RGhJf7s8j4muGi4jlB8a1y6JS-Nhoc3f4s8d3vp2juWhsP8CSI1pkLEZJOZBcEuIrRpi2dGZgbEmKCUW1RurBhG-LYH09gAfJ9YJjzNKqt5l0S0IC3eX8vHs94/s400/baby.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633128298425856706" /></a><br />Are you looking for a good book to read this summer? Why don't you try picking up Book 1 of the exciting Baby-Sitters Club series, Kristy's Great Idea. Join Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacy as they start a cool and convenient club that gives busy parents a quick and easy way to find a group of reliable Baby-Sitters in only one phone call. This club is a great idea, but soon this team discovers that starting a business isn't easy. Follow these smart sitters as they figure out how to deal with the hardest of problems, and strengthen their friendships along the way.<div><div><br /></div><div> I was hardly able to put down this book after I started reading it. After finishing, I was sure to ask my parents for the next book in the series. Now I want to start baby-sitting!</div><div><br /></div><div> The only problem with this book is that it is about 7<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> graders but it is on around a 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> grade reading level, so the content is perfect for me but the reading level is too easy. But on the other hand, if you want a quick read, this might just be the book for you. Maybe it will even teach you a few new baby-sitting skills!</div><div><br /></div><div> I hope this review has been helpful to you! Be sure to leave a comment if you have time. I always love to hear my readers' thoughts. If you ever need advice on good books, movies, games, or even snacks, just leave a comment and I'll try to meet your request. Stay tuned for more fun and smart reviews!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?rt=ss_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822/US/stusma-20/8001/c3740a44-b6bb-4df4-9c57-eb22db9e817a"> </script> <noscript>&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"&gt;lt&lt;/span&gt;;A &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"&gt;HREF&lt;/span&gt;="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?rt=ss_mfw&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"&gt;ServiceVersion&lt;/span&gt;=20070822&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"&gt;MarketPlace&lt;/span&gt;=US&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;ID=V20070822%2&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"&gt;FUS&lt;/span&gt;%2&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"&gt;Fstusma&lt;/span&gt;-20%2F8001%2&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"&gt;Fc&lt;/span&gt;3740a44-b6&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"&gt;bb&lt;/span&gt;-4&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"&gt;df&lt;/span&gt;4-9c57-&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"&gt;eb&lt;/span&gt;22db9e817a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;Operation=&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"&gt;NoScript&lt;/span&gt;"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Amazon.com Widgets&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"&gt;lt&lt;/span&gt;;/A&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</noscript>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-75630940601424002862011-07-04T23:44:00.000-04:002011-07-04T23:44:43.103-04:00Happy 4th of July!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9k7q2gvPf6Pj_N04W0R6JrhakYBk3684CUfDyrw9BE_SITDCFmpyOPcHMuTvh2Cof09lAvtnvsF9EmwS2g7MjSI0QcK0qqJfwUEgBChyphenhyphenTHdGL3zuDYd86BwH4ex2k36r9oI-c51oD2zw/s1600/GodBlessAmerica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9k7q2gvPf6Pj_N04W0R6JrhakYBk3684CUfDyrw9BE_SITDCFmpyOPcHMuTvh2Cof09lAvtnvsF9EmwS2g7MjSI0QcK0qqJfwUEgBChyphenhyphenTHdGL3zuDYd86BwH4ex2k36r9oI-c51oD2zw/s1600/GodBlessAmerica.jpg" /></a></div>StuffSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04990062586481643369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-82227744462465511332011-06-13T16:37:00.000-04:002011-06-13T16:37:34.490-04:00Kingdom Tales Book One: Tales of the Kingdom<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6KRol5PHQivgQ4xYbnljHUzJnr6hGQ9pFlNO3ycLEFpeA5lCbPapgAgQYgvOocf9KIg60UQK66c3c77jKNdI_sI8LHx667IwZigzwi8glulemUKPMrjyGI_e_uJQjJdm2FzjKt5s4Qw/s1600/talesofthekingdom.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617802418089836754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6KRol5PHQivgQ4xYbnljHUzJnr6hGQ9pFlNO3ycLEFpeA5lCbPapgAgQYgvOocf9KIg60UQK66c3c77jKNdI_sI8LHx667IwZigzwi8glulemUKPMrjyGI_e_uJQjJdm2FzjKt5s4Qw/s400/talesofthekingdom.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a>If you love Christian books that the whole family will enjoy, be sure to read The Kingdom Tales series, by David and Karen Mains. These are very interesting books that take you into a new kingdom, which is the place for people hunting for something. This kingdom is home to a king who loves his people, and gave up his wealth for them. This Narnia-style series uses events in the kingdom to teach lessons and get across important points from the bible.<br />
<div><div></div><div>So, if this book interests you, start with book one: Tales the Kingdom this is a story of trust, introducing 2 runaway orphans. The older one soon learns to see the King, which requires believing. To learn the many other lessons of the kingdom read Book 1: Tales of the Kingdom, Book 2: Tales of the Resistance, and Book 3: Tales of the Restoration. These books might be a little hard to find because they are out of print, but there are several copies of each book on Amazon, some new and some used.</div><div></div><div>Be sure to read these magical books that are perfect for family story time or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">independent</span> reading for all ages. By the end of the first book, you'll be yelling, " To the King! To the Kingdom! To the Restoration!"</div><div></div><div><span style="color: #999999;">*Disclosure this review was done on a product that I own. This post was my honest review of a book I wanted to let my readers know about.</span></div><div><span style="color: #999999;"></span> </div><div><span style="color: #999999;"></span> </div><div></div></div><br />
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</script> <noscript><A HREF="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?rt=ss_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fstusma-20%2F8001%2Fe4fc5e95-a58c-4134-acf8-98c9cdc8e36f&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A></noscript></div>FunSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04687123430812176134noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-26207671037560410852011-05-30T18:07:00.000-04:002011-05-30T18:07:45.933-04:00Memorial Day 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114610638748675237705/BloggerPictures?authkey=Gv1sRgCPOpsY330-3ncA#5612633763086487666" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmspijvCptBB_iNbQoztjXzKnljC9vFQGj0YBLaXjSQ3xsnBXpzk8uYnrUKgik4HczjvrxVGNTXeERwqnj_hKxy7OmyN7tBa-o08BEOzH-LzfUc7CJhZpWaOEVkFCkYkpTL2UQkISZgQ/s400/memorial2.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>StuffSmarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04990062586481643369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2685366944560453245.post-53870963533938418412011-04-25T19:02:00.001-04:002011-04-26T05:23:09.223-04:00Pinkalicious: It's Party Time! For DS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXJ5I6liPG2_KXmQuDbLuO9AhoiOhMbmZOolPK1L9Ki0iqKoMnqvnKKmxa0kjTANnAypUp9iGiI7N-uF8PdNHciyQofR3HUECmqffeQO1CIdIa5jWARJy3OZHAvdtb-70AUOVmiX9F5JX/s1600/pinkalicious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXJ5I6liPG2_KXmQuDbLuO9AhoiOhMbmZOolPK1L9Ki0iqKoMnqvnKKmxa0kjTANnAypUp9iGiI7N-uF8PdNHciyQofR3HUECmqffeQO1CIdIa5jWARJy3OZHAvdtb-70AUOVmiX9F5JX/s1600/pinkalicious.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div>From Victoria Kann, the creator of the wonderfully colorful book series, Pinkalicious, the new Nintendo DS game, Pinkalicious: It's Party Time, is sure to keep your little girl intertained for hours! In this game, you will plan parties for various occasions by making yummy treats, goody bags, beautiful decorations, and invitations. You will choose which neighborhood kids you want to invite and intertain them at the short and fun party. I'd recommend this game for girls 4+. At first your little one might need a little help with reading the instructions but after the first few parties they will catch on. After they complete all of the parties, they can still continue playing, although there won't be any more new themes. There are mini games so that if you don't want to plan a complete party, you can still bake, design invitations, etc. You can also dress your character up in different clothes in different colors under the dress-up section.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwEMvj3iA0Nb-Y4ZtWkKH8SsbiUgVmE3ib_vRs6lkURwxVAqB5xoD_AuS0esuxL1E50p8n7DNSEnXIEtnC3b8DF5cptw5UWCHSDLmv05Wcx9BkIvxOiq_GzrvLHM7-nVYCAoJ2QrINYIH/s1600/pinkalicious1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwEMvj3iA0Nb-Y4ZtWkKH8SsbiUgVmE3ib_vRs6lkURwxVAqB5xoD_AuS0esuxL1E50p8n7DNSEnXIEtnC3b8DF5cptw5UWCHSDLmv05Wcx9BkIvxOiq_GzrvLHM7-nVYCAoJ2QrINYIH/s1600/pinkalicious1.jpg" /></a></div>The game comes in a pack with a thick Pinkalicious stylus and DS screan cleaner. The stylus is easy to grip, and harder to lose due to it's size and color. The only down side to the size is that in can't be stored in the hole on the side of the console. The screen cleaner makes the screen shiny and smooth. It is a very effective way to clean your screen.<br />
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I really recommend this entertaining game that will give your girl the experience of planning a fun party without the cost or mess. You won't be able to get enough of this great game and I hope that there will be another one soon.<br />
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