Charity Hopping Around the World Giveaway

This giveaways hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer, Reading Away the Days, and Reading a Little Bit of Everything. This one is a little bit different then other giveaways that I participate in because I get to start it off by bragging about my favorite charity.

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The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card

This guest post is by Heidi Angell, author of Creative Exercises to Inspire and Royal Prince Vince. For more on Heidi, visit her website at http://angellslife.com/

The Lost Gate is the beginning of a new series by Orson Scott Card, and I am super excited! In this thrilling new adventure, we meet Danny North. He is a young man from backwoods Virgina whose family lives in a compound, limits contact with other people, believes in killing off any young who are not good stock, and is severely inbred. They also have a cult-like belief that they are descended from gods and come from the planet Westil. Except it is all true.

Card takes on a fantastical tale that rivals Riordon's run of tales to explain ancient myths. Where as Riordon had separate tales to explain the different culture's gods, Card embraces an explanation for all the gods throughout history, focusing on the viking gods most heavily (as these are the gods Danny's family are descended from.) The North Family are the living descendents of the Norse gods, and not in the respect of a god mating with humans to create them. Nope, these guys are the real deal (hence the in-breeding!) When Danny doesn't show promise in magic, his family believes that he was not born with the gift, but early on we find out he is born with an even greater gift than they could have hoped. And because of that gift his family must kill him or end up at war with one of the other clans. Once again Card shows his mastery of using history (or in this case, legend) to weave a compelling tale for a modern era, and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!!

Orson Scott Card is a prolific author and college professor. Most famous for writing the Ender series, (which is currently being made into a movie!) he has also created several brilliant fantasy stories including the Alvin Maker Series. The author of over thirty novels, Card is also a professor at Southern Virginia University, has written many articles for several different magazines and newspapers,  writes critiques and offers writing lessons on his website. He lives with his family in Raleigh, NC.  To learn more about Card, visit his official web page at http://www.hatrack.com/index.shtml.

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Scriptures on Sunday

This is from my "Women of the Scriptures" blog. :)

How would you feel if your husband came to you and said, "The Lord is going to flood the earth, dear. We are going to build a giant boat and carry at least two of every single animal on it while all our friends are destroyed in the flood. So... let's get building?" I think I'd just stand there and stare at my husband for a while and think he had gone looney. Which is, of course, what many of the people thought of Noah as he was telling them that. The only people who believed Noah were his wife, three sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and the sons' wives.

Genesis 7:7
-Noah's wife and his 3 daughters-in-law went with Noah onto the ark.
Genesis 8:16
-Noah's wife and his 3 daughters-in-law left the ark.

That's pretty much all that is said of them. However, I cannot imagine the strength of faith this woman must have had and how much she trusted her husband.

Time for our questions to ask ourselves:

1. What is unique about this woman and her story?
2. How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?
3. What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?
4. What would I ask her if I met her?
5. How can I relate to her?
6. What can I learn from her experiences?

1. What is unique about this woman and her story?
   I don't think there is any other woman in history who can say that she lived in an ark for 40 days with seven other people and hundreds of animals and bugs while the rest of the earth was destroyed. I think that is pretty unique. ;)
   
2. How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?
   She probably didn't fit in well with the other ladies because her husband was laughed at and talked about. I don't think I would associate with people who thought my husband was a loon.
   
3. What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?
   Obedience and Faith. It would take a lot of faith to obey the commandment that she and her husband were given.
   
4. What would I ask her if I met her?
   How very cool was the first rainbow ever?
   
5. How can I relate to her?
   I understand what it's like to associate with people who possibly don't like you too much.
   
6. What can I learn from her experiences?
   There are lots of things we can learn from her. She was obviously very good with changes. I mean, she was suddenly the only mother on earth. She had daughters-in-law but they weren't mothers yet. They only had one person to go to for mothering advice. The women in this story also had to have a huge amount of faith and trust in themselves, their husband/father-in-law, and in the Lord. What amazing examples!

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Voices of the Dead by Peter Leonard

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Story Plant, The (January 17, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1611880327
• ISBN-13: 978-1611880328

 Genre: Suspense/Historical Fiction

Synopsis: The year is 1971. The place is Detroit. Harry Levin, a scrap metal dealer and Holocaust survivor, has just learned that his daughter was killed in a car accident. Traveling to Washington, DC to claim the body, he learns that the accident was caused by a German diplomat who was driving drunk. This is only the beginning of the horror for Harry, though, as he discovers that the diplomat will never face charges – he has already been released and granted immunity. Enraged and aggrieved, Harry discovers the identity of his daughter’s killer, follows him to Munich, and hunts him down. What Harry finds out about the diplomat and his plans will explode his life and the lives of everyone around him.

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Scriptures on Sunday

Remember that I have that list of questions about each woman I learn about in the scriptures (on my other blog Women of the Scriptures). Well, now is the time to answer them about Eve. Here is the list of questions if you want to copy and paste them to your own blog. Make sure that you leave a comment if you decide to participate so I can read your thoughts on Eve, too. :)

1- What is unique about this woman and her story?

2- How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?

3- What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?

4- What would I ask her if I could meet her?

5- How can I relate to her?

6- What can I (or someone else I know) learn from her experiences?

My answers:

1- What is unique about this woman and her story?

Eve was the first woman on the earth. She had no other women to talk to about things. What is the best way to raise a child? What do I do if the baby won't sleep? None of these things! She had no one! She and Adam had to figure out parenthood on their own. She was also the first one to take that "leap of faith". I still think that "Our Glorious Mother" is such a great fit for her! :)

2- How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?

Aww... hehe! She was a trend-setter. LOL! Well, she was!

3- What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?

She sacrificed her perfect life for Motherhood. Yeah, that sounds so familiar. Although, not perfect before but life as a mother certainly gets harder than before. However, she sacrificed her life in the Garden of Eden to have children and be mortal. That is a big sacrifice! I'm not sure if I could have given up that life. 

4- What would I ask her if I could meet her?

I would want her to describe the beauty of the earth when she knew it, before it was touched by mortal beings. I bet it was amazing!

5- How can I relate to her?

She experienced the loss of a child and so did I. Of course, mine didn't kill anyone so it's a bit different for me.... "/ 

6- What can I (or someone else I know) learn from her experiences?
I think the greatest lesson that I learned from her is that mortality and children are worth losing the Garden of Eden. =o) I mean, I love my children. I know they are worth it and I know that mortality is necessary for us to learn the things that we need to learn. This life is necessary for us to return to live with Heavenly Father but sometimes I wonder if we could have just taken the easy way and just stayed with Heavenly Father. When I think of Eve's experience I know the answer to that is "no". There wasn't an easy way for us to learn the things that we need to learn. We must experience life in order to return to Heavenly Father and Eve knew that and sacrificed her "easy" life so that she could experience this mortal one to return to Heavenly Father.

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I am a slacker... why?

It is actually a very good reason. I am actually in school full time and my last day of this semester is March 30th. I know, weird semesters. Anyways!! I am working really hard to get my final papers/assignments finished and turned in. Once I have completed those then I should be posting my reviews regularly again. Sorry for any inconvenience. I do have a giveaway and a couple of book tours coming up soon so... stay tuned! =) In the mean time... think of me....

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Supernaturally by Kiersten White

• ISBN-13: 9780061985867
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date: 7/26/2011
• Pages: 352
• Age range: 12 - 17 Years

Genre: Paranormal/Young Adult

Review: Evelyn is still trying to find her place in the world. She thought she was all set going to high school and rooming with Arianna, a vampire, as she worked at a diner that served mostly other paranormals. She had her boyfriend, Lend, who is half human and half immortal and she's offered her job back at IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency). All this while she's trying to survive real high school. However, she refuses to work with fairies and gets teamed up with Jack, a young human who has learned how to work the Faerie Paths. Strange things start happening to her, well, stranger than her already strange life. It seems that paranormals are trying to kill her at every turn. Someone wants her dead and she has no idea who. She tries to survive as she searches for the truth of who she is and where she came from. She wants to know why she can see through the glamour of the other paranormals and why she is the only one (besides Vivian) who can suck the souls out of other creatures. Is she a monster?

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The Dark Lifer's Revenge: A Short Story by Linda Joy Singleton

• ISBN-13: 9780738734668
• Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
• Publication date: 12/1/2011
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 38

Genre: Short Story/ Paranormal/ Young Adult

Review: Sabine's, a psychic, boyfriend's body is taken over by a Dark Lifer (an evil soul who "borrows" others' bodies to do their dirty work) to take revenge on the man who killed him. Sabine goes to the only person she knows who may be able to help... Amber, a Temp Lifer (temporarily steps into the lives of people who are suffering to help them navigate through their problems). Together, they try to save Sabine's boyfriend, Dominic, and the man the Dark Lifer is out to kill.

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The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Genre: Dystopian/Young Adult/Post Apocalyptic

Review: This is the story of Katniss Everdeen. It's time for the reaping again where two children, boy and girl, are chosen from each of the 12 districts of Panem to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. 24 children go in and only one survives. Katniss and Peeta are chosen from district 12. They don't want to kill anyone, only survive. In the arena Katniss and Peeta make some decisions to save each other which begin a rebellion in the country of Panem. This causes a full on war between the Capitol and the other districts.

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