Posts Tagged ‘Contests’
the chic shall inherit the earth
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth (All About Us #6)
FaithWords; 1 edition (January 7, 2010)
***Special thanks to Miriam Parker of the Hachette Book Group for sending me a review copy.***
CONTEST! For a chance to win one of two prizes: a Tiffany’s Bracelet OR an All About Us T-shirt, go to Camy Tang’s Blog and leave a comment on her FIRST Wild Card Tour for The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth, and you will be placed into a drawing for a bracelet or T-shirt that look similar to the pictures below.
Shelley Adina is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She knows the value of a relationship with a gracious God and loving Christian friends, and she’s inviting today’s teenage girls to join her in these refreshingly honest books about real life as a Christian teen–with a little extra glitz thrown in for fun! In between books, Adina loves traveling, listening to and making music, and watching all kinds of movies.
Visit the author’s website.
Product Details:
List Price: $9.99
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: FaithWords; 1 edition (January 7, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446179647
ISBN-13: 978-0446179645
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
THE CHIC SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH
© 2010 by Shelley Adina
Chapter 1
LET ME PUT it right out there: I’m no sports fan—unless you count surfing, which is more of an attitude to life than a sport. I used to think that there were some things you just knew. But if God were a major league pitcher, He’d be the kind of guy who threw curveballs just to keep you on your toes. To catch you off guard. To prove you wrong about everything you thought.
Which is essentially what happened to us all during the last term of our senior year at Spencer Academy.
My name is Lissa Evelyn Mansfield—yes, I’m back again. Did you miss me? Because, seriously, this last term of high school before my friends and I graduated was so crazed, so unpredictable, that I had to write it all down to try and make sense of it.
But, hey, let’s take a moment here. The words last term of senior year need some respect, not to mention celebration. They need to be paused over and savored. Excuse me.
Okay, I’m back.
The term began in April, and by the time our first set of midterms (or thirdterms, as my roommate Gillian Chang calls them, since we get three sets of exams every term) rolled around at the beginning of May, it was just beginning to sink in that there were only seven weeks of high school left. Seven weeks until freedom. Adulthood. Summer vacation. Adulthood. Home.
Adulthood.
Eek.
“Sarah Lawrence is stalking me,” Gillian moaned from where she sat on her bed in our dorm room. “Here’s another letter.” She fished an envelope out of the pile of mail in her lap and waved it.
I looked up from my MacBook Air, where I was checking e-mail. “Don’t let Emily Overton hear you. She got turned down and her roommate has had to keep her away from open windows for the last month.”
“But I already told them no twice. What’s it going to take?”
“You could fail some exams.” I’m always willing to offer a helpful suggestion. “They can’t help it if they covet your fearsome brain.”
“So does Harvard. And Princeton. Not to mention Stanford and Columbia and Juilliard.” She threw her hands in the air so that the letter flew over her shoulder and bounced off the headboard. “How am I supposed to pick just one? Can I spend a year at each school? I could be a career transfer student.”
“I’m glad I don’t have your decisions to make,” I told her with absolute honesty. “If all those schools were after me, I’d run away and hide.”
“I’ve got to figure out what I’m doing with my life.” She glanced at me. “Or maybe I should say, what God wants me to do with my life.”
“There’s the kicker.” I nodded sagely. “I understand about waiting on the Lord, but . . . He knows about registration deadlines, doesn’t He?”
“Oh, yeah. He knows. I keep asking Him, and He keeps thinking about it. Maybe He wants me to figure out what I want, first. But that’s the impossible part.”
Poor Gillian. She has the kind of brain schools fight over for their research programs. But she’s also a music prodigy—hence the acceptance from Juilliard. Then, to complicate things even more, she also has quite the talent for drawing, and ever since she met my friend Kaz Griffin, her dream has been to create a graphic novel starring a kick-butt Asian girl with a secret identity. Kaz, in case you haven’t met him, is my best friend from my old high school in Santa Barbara. He’s been trying to get his graphic novel published for, like, years, with no success. But I have to hand it to him. He never gives up.
Anyway. Gillian.
“You could always do pre-med at Harvard and minor in art or music,” I suggested. “You know you’re going to need a release valve from all that scientific pressure. It would be good to have the right-brain kind of classes to turn to.”
Gillian pushed the stack of mail off her lap and leaned back against the mound of colorful silk pillows. The letter from Sarah Lawrence crumpled somewhere underneath. “But then how will I know if I’m any good?”
“Um, your grades? Not to mention, if you got an acceptance from Juilliard, you’re good. Full stop, as Mac would say.”
Lady Lindsay MacPhail, aka Mac, was a student here at Spencer for two terms, and she’s one of our little group of friends. She’s gone back to live in London until the end of term, when she’ll return to her family’s castle in Scotland, and she has none of these questions about her life. She knows exactly what degree she’s going to get, when she’ll get it, and what she’ll be doing after that: making the Strathcairn Hotel and Corporate Retreat Center the go-to place for world-class events in the UK.
I envy people who have their future in a laser sight. I’m still trying to figure out what to wear tomorrow.
“What do teachers know?” Gillian asked. I don’t think she was looking for the answer to that one. “If I’m going to find out whether I’m really any good, I have to try to get into an art program and give it everything I’ve got. Try to get an exhibition. Or a publisher. Live in a garret and try to make it as an artist.”
“That sounds scary.”
“I know.” She sighed. “Medical school is the easy path, grasshopper.”
Only Gillian Chang would say something like that.
I turned back to my notebook and saw that while we’d been talking, a message from Kaz had popped up in my inbox.
*
To: lmansfield@spenceracad.edu
From: kazg@hotmail.com
Date: May 4, 2010
Re: Ow
I am so regretting pushing off physics until senior year. My brain hurts. What was I thinking? Instead of grabbing my board and heading for the beach, I’m stuck down here in my room writing equations I don’t know the answers to.
Does the Jumping Loon tutor over the phone? Can you ask her? I’ll give her anything she wants, including full use of my studly body, if she’ll just say the magic words that will unveil the meaning of x and y, not to mention z.
Life, I’ve got a handle on. X is a mystery.
Kaz
I looked over my shoulder. “Kaz wants to know if you do physics tutoring over the phone. He says you can do what you want with his body if you help him.” I paused when she didn’t look up from a Neiman Marcus catalog. “I didn’t know you were interested in his body. Does Jeremy know about this?”
“That sounds like a jealous remark.” She flipped a page. “Ooh, nice dress. Chloé does summer so well. Which reminds me, if we’re going on a Senior Cotillion dress safari, we’d better start soon.”
I was not to be sidetracked, no matter how tempting the bait. “Is something going on with you and Kaz?”
She put the catalog down and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Yes. Yes, there is.”
I sat there as stunned as if someone had upended a bucket of seawater over me.
Kaz and Gillian? What? How is that possible? When did—
What is the matter with you? Kaz is your friend. You aren’t . . . like that. If he’s interested in Gillian, it’s none of your business.
Poor Jeremy.
“Lissa. Lissa, come back to me.” I blinked at her. My face felt frozen. “For crying out loud, get a grip.” She was trying not to laugh and not succeeding very well. “He’s teasing you. He’s helping me with a plaster mold of his hand for my art project, okay? That’s all.”
“A mold. Of his hand. And you don’t have guys’ hands any closer than Santa Barbara?”
“He has interesting hands, which you’d know if you ever paid any attention.”
Of course he did. And of course I did. Pay attention to him, I mean. He was my best friend. We e-mailed each other, like, twenty times a week.
“And Jeremy’s hands aren’t interesting?”
She picked up the catalog and flipped another page. “Write him back and tell him of course I’ll tutor him. We can start tonight if he’s desperate.”
Hm. Poor Jeremy, indeed. What was going on here? “He wants to know the meaning of x.”
“Don’t we all. Some of us wait for the universe to reveal it to us. And some of us wouldn’t know it if the universe dropped it on our heads.”
“What’s your point?”
But my friend, who usually has all the answers, didn’t reply.
I loved this fun book of fiction! The characters were fun to hang out with and had me sucked into their world! Shelley Adina writes “while talking” as I like to say. Her style makes me feel like I’m talking with a friend rather than reading a book, so I get lost in it very easily!
I haven’t read the rest of this series, but you don’t have to to enjoy this book. I can see my teenage nieces enjoying this series easily. And I love that they are Christians and have some girly girl aspects in it! I think Shelley really captures the teen spirit (with a bit of additional drama that we all wish we had! lol). I like that the conversations have real aspects and there wasn’t a lot of holding back in the conversations. It makes for a far more personal touch!
I’m looking forward to checking out the other books in this series!
The winner of the pearls
Nearly 1,000 people entered the contest to win the pearl necklace - amazing!
Congratulations!
Also, know that we’ll be giving away 5 copies of the Pearl Girls book this week on the Pearl Girls’ blog. All they need to do to be entered is leave a comment before 1/8/10.
Excessively Motivated Parents
Excessively Motivated Parents.
Are you one of them?
Or were you? I say were because when I had my first baby I was.. when I had my second baby I was… my third.. umm not so much.. and my fourth.. well lets just said I have a much more relaxed view of parenting styles these days. (Okay, so I’m still slightly excessively motivated… but it’s at least on a sliding scale.. I CAN laugh about it NOW!)
With all the pressures of raising children, here is a great stress relief! Even Mr. C thought this was pretty funny. We were having a great giggle over the way people choose names.
Not to mention the whole scheduling thing.. and I’m big on that! Of course the only real thing I care about scheduling is bedtime!
“The Perfect Baby Handbook: A Guide for Excessively Motivated Parents” by Dale Hrabi . Comic relief for parents who are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures to raise a super-kid.
Here’s an example of some of the hilarious stuff you can find in this book:
okay first question.. how many mobiles did you have in your babies crib? honest now! Most of my friends have had a few! I’ve seen some people with 3 of them, plus numerous toys on the side. (and no, that was not me.. my kids were lucky they had one toy..lol)
It’s quite funny, and I really do think it’s about time someone gave a mock about parenting because so many people are wayyy too uptight about it…
I DID have two questions (but being the dork that I am, and trying to write this in the wee hours of the morning after being up since 4am the previous morning with moi-said perfect children.. perhaps I’m delusional, but found the answers on his website.) He was extremely nice and humored with the answers anyhow!
I know you’re dying to know what questions I wanted to ask him.
Q. I noticed you went to U of Alberta… are you originally a Prairie boy? If so, do you miss it? (Sorry, I’m from Sask. I need to know!)
Do I miss it? Of course…the pace of life is much more sane in Edmo, and the people more polite and kind (I find that Calgary, on the other hand, has become a very competitive, aggressive, quasi-American place). I’m heading back to Edmonton this May for a visit.
Q. Why a baby book? I know babies are like accessories for trendsetters these days, but its sort of a wild topic to be digging in all areas of it don’t you think?
Why a baby book? Three of my best friends all gave birth around the same time, and I lived through their pregnancies first years with babies with them…and, in so doing, became aware of the excessiveness and pressures in the parenting world (esp. here). Much of it seemed ripe for parody…and, also, I just wanted to try to give parents some comic relief.
And comic relief you’ll get! This book is hilarious! Anyone who is extremely anxious or uber worried about parenting need this book! Where was this when I was so anal about changing diapers every hour with our first because I could not imagine letting her bottom be dampened by pee (ya.. #4.. we’re so over that now!).
I think whether you are a parent of little ones now, or have grandchildren, you will find this book quite hilarious. If you’ve got a pregnant friend, this is the MUST HAVE parenting book of the year! I know when I opened it up I was laughing within in seconds. It really gives you a good laugh about today’s society and how uptight and obsessive our society has become about “perfecting” parenthood. I honestly thought what a hilarious book! I know of a few people I want to send it to right now!
I appreciate Dales satirical look at parenting, and if you need more check out Dales website at: http://www.perfectbabyhandbook.com/
Every Sunrise – Review & giveaway!
“Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” – Psalm 30:5
Oh how that fits this book! Tricia Goyer’s new book Every Sunrise will pull at your heart strings. It’s part of the Guideposts Original Series Home to Heather Creek series- book Seven. Don’t worry if you haven’t read the rest, it’s easy to read this one alone! Tricia writes in an easy to read style that will keep you going!
Being from the prairies myself, I found this book very warm and full of the familiar. It will tug at your heart in more ways than one!
The book teaser:
The bleak winter days make February on Heather Creek Farm a test of endurance, and as winter wears on, Sam becomes more and more withdrawn and unhappy. Bob is busy planning a surprise for Charlotte, and Christopher is excited about a local writing competition, while a Valentine’s Day flower from a secret source lifts Emily’s spirits. But when Sam disappears from the farm one night, chasing a memory of the father who abandoned them all, Charlotte and Bob need all the help—and prayer—they can get to bring him home safely. This broken family needs God’s help like never before, but their trials remind them all that every sunrise brings a new beginning.
Don’t forget to leave a comment here and get a chance to win a copy of Every Sunrise!! I’ve got one to giveaway! Get an extra entry if you’re subscribed to my rss feed, and even a 3rd entry if you’ve never posted a comment here before! Contest Open for all of March!!!
Tricia’s Blog and contest for Every Sunrise! : You can get a chance to win the entire Heather Creek Series at her blog! or a copy of the book! http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2009/02/every-sunrise-blog-tour-and-contest.html
Where to buy the book: http://www.guideposts.org/heathercreek/linked_pages/book7.html
And check out what others have to say about Tricia Goyer’s new book Every Sunrise:
3/3
- Deborah at Comfort Joy http://comfortjoydesigns.blogspot.com/
- Amy at Amy’s Random Thoughts http://www.amychristopher.blogspot.com
- Amy at The 160 Acre Woods http://the160acrewoods.wordpress.com/
3/4
- Mindy at Ponderings of the Heart http://philippians4verse8.blogspot.com:80/
- Laura at Wild Things http://www.texasokie.blogspot.com
- Margaret at The Cappuccino Life http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cappuccinosmom/profile/
3/5
- Miralee at Miralee’s Desk http://www.miraleesdesk.blogspot.com
- AnnMarie at More Than Just A Mom http://afriedrick.blogspot.com
- Jill at Christian Work At Home Moms http://blog.cwahm.com
3/6
- Laura at Lighthouse Academy http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/
- Diane at Diane’s Place http://lenadianejennings.blogspot.com/
- Christy at Christy’s Book Blog http://christysbookblog.blogspot.com/
3/7
- Kate at A Simple Walk http://asimplewalk.blogspot.com/
- Sarah at Real Life http://www.reallifeblog.net
3/9
- Patty at Fresh Brewed Writer http://freshbrewedwriter.blogspot.com/
- Amy at My Friend Amy http://www.myfriendamysblog.com
- Janice at The Nearsighted Bookworm http://www.thenearsightedbookworm.blogspot.com
3/10
- Kelli at The Zen of Motherhood http://www.thezenofmotherhood.blogspot.com
- Revka at Our Family Porch http://ourfamilyporch.blogspot.com
- Patty at Girlfriends in God http://patty-girlfriendsingod.blogspot.com
3/11
- Jendi at Jendi’s Journal http://jendisjournal.com
- Lizzie at A Dusty Frame http://adustyframe.com
- Leticia at My Daily Trek http://shadowbearcat.bravejournal.com/
3/12
- Lena Nelson at A Christian Writer’s World http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
- Angie at God Uses Broken Vessels http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com
- Deborah at Books, Movies and Chinese Food http://books-movies-chinesefood.blogspot.com/
3/13
- Deena at A Peek at My Bookshelf http://deenasbooks.blogspot.com
- Melissa at Bibliophile’s Retreat http://bibliophilesretreat.com
3/14
- Melody at Kids, Cakes, Dishes, Laundry…In That Order http://www.kidscakesdisheslaundry.blogspot.com
- Heather at Mumblings of a Mommy Monk http://mommymonk.blogspot.com/
Internet Cafe giveaway day!!
Today is giveaway day! So click on the button above to see more giveaways BUT FIRST
what am i adding to the giveaway?? So glad you asked!
First, my november winner from my giveaway constest was Alexis from Tales from the Back Acher for the scrabble necklace!
and since i had such good response with my scrabble necklace I’ll give another one away for this.
Everyone may enter
closing date is Dec. 12th!
Just leave a comment and say what letter you’d like and who’d you give it to, or if you’d keep it for yourself!
than i’ll be drawing from my scrabble letter bag and the first letter i pick will claim the winner!!! Good luck!
if you subscribe to my feed you can leave 2 comments for 2 chances!! Feel free to say you don’t care either just who you’d give it too!
New Look and New-vember giveaway!!
Well, i am trying a new look here. What do you think? Or is it too dark? I have mixed feelings on it, but I thought the “wood” fit the 160 Acre Woods.
So onto the giveaway!
My new favorite altered art craft has been making “scrabble jewelry”. Scrabble jewelry is a handcrafted one of a kind piece of jewelry that is fun and personal. A great for teacher gifts. (you’ll never guess what Miss H’s teacher is getting this year? lol) The Scrabble Jewelry is made from the actual wooden lettered Scrabble squares.
If you’d like to have a chance to win this for yourself or for some else for Christmas! Thank leave me a comment here and let me know about your favorite Christmas treat!
Contest Open until Nov. 25th!
And the winner is…
The winner of my September “Favorite things” is Jen from reflectionsinthewindow
She wins the copy of Whispers of the Bayou!
Congratulations!!!
If you haven’t signed up to win a copy of The Diamond of Darkhold you’ve got until October 10th!!
Feel Free to use one of these graphics to link back to me!
or Join me @
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This work by Amydeanne is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License.
Based on a work at www.the160acrewoods.com.