Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Book Review: Storm of Swords Book 3 in Game of Thrones #gameofthrones



Book Review for: Storm of Swords
Written by: George RR Martin
Bantam Books
ISBN: 978-0-553-10663-3


5 Stars
Absolutely Engrossing!



Martin pens a novel full of adventure, betrayal, and greed with “Storm of Swords,” book 3 in the “Song of Ice and Fire,” series. The novel is over 900 pages – not for the faint at heart – and a bit daunting. It’s taken me months to finish, and while it’s been long for me, it’s been an adventure.

Martin uses several point of view characters to tell the “Storm of Swords.” There’s Tyrion, smart and clever, yet a dwarf who is the butt of his nephew’s cruel jabs. There’s Robb, the King of the North, who must win the Frey’s favor or lose all he has gained. Jon, on the Wall, must find out information on the Wildlings and the Others, using all of his cunning to survive. Jamie must not only use his sword, but his wits to make it back to King’s Landing. Arya escapes the city only to find herself a captive and pawn to various outlaws who would use her as a hostage for their benefit. Stannis must prove himself a king, so he travels to the Wall, hoping to save it. Then there’s Daenrys, who learns how to use her swords to conquer, but she must learn to rule before returning to Westros.


Every story involves violence, sword play, and cunning. As the realm loses its tenuous grip on the various kingdoms, secrets are revealed, proving a precursor to the upcoming battle between ice (the others) and fire (the dragons).

The characters are honest, real, and interesting. There’s good and bad and even some in between – like the “Hound,” Sandor Clegane. Everyone has a distinct motivation to do what they do, even if unknown to the reader. I’m always wondering what is driving a character.

A “Storm of Swords” grows the story, looks deeper into the players, and takes the reader on an adventure of a lifetime!

Question for you:  Who is your favorite "Game of Thrones" character?  



Sunday, February 14, 2016

Snippet Sunday: 99 cents contemporary romance: A Polish Heart #snippetsunday #weekendwritingwarriors

Hi all, I'm participating in the Weekend Warriors Snippet Sunday. This month, I'll be taking snippets from my sweet contemporary romance, A Polish Heart . You can find the Weekend Warriors Snippet Sunday list at:


ENJOY THIS SNIPPET:


"My father would like you to have dinner with us. I know you have a lot of work to do. Can you stay?" Her voice sounded low and a little nervous.


"I'd love to."

"Good," she paused, relief in her response. "You can take the nine o'clock train back to your hotel."

"So what time is mass tomorrow?" he asked.

"Ten."


A POLISH HEART: 


BLURB:  

Darrin Riverton, an architect from the United States is assigned to a challenging project which requires a trip to Poland. Sofia Buraczynski is assigned as his translator and his first sight of her heats his blood. 

With Sofia as his guide, Darrin discovers Poland and many new things about himself, as well. When a chance is presented for him to remain in Poland, will he leave behind family and all that is familiar to follow his heart?


Reviews:
5 Stars, Tara Manderino, Amazon Reader, “A totally enjoyable read.”
 5 Stars, Nancy Levine, Amazon Reader, “My grandfather was from Poland, but I have never been there, so I enjoyed reading about it as well as the customs about the Easter basket, etc.”
5 Stars, Billie Houston, Amazon Reader, “I love the warm-hearted tale.” 
BOOK TRAILER:
BUY LINKS:
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-polish-heart

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Lifestyle: Power up with Zinc! #zinc #lifestyle



Initially, I was going to talk about eating Paleo, but then I got turned on to zinc. This little mineral is very important to our bodies. For me, it was more important than I thought.

BENEFITS

Zinc has been with us since our earliest days. its a mineral our bodies need to function. Zinc’s #1 mission: keep our immune system working properly. Zinc also acts as an antioxidant. It promotes cell and tissue growth, heals wounds, and breaks down carbohydrates. Zinc also helps suppress inflammation, and I can tell you, I know when I’m inflamed. (aka BLOATED). I hate feeling bloated. Zinc naturally compliments Paleo eating. Paleo lays off the gluten and gluten is another evil “thingie” that blots the glut.

ZINC AND THE BRAIN

I was surprised to learn how important zinc is to the brain. A lack of zinc is linked to decreased learning ability. Studies show zinc may help to protect the blood/brain barrier due to its antioxidant properties. Zinc has also been used to help treat schizophrenia (along with Lithium!). Seems our brains need a certain amount of minerals to function well. Zinc also improves memory and cognition.

FINDING ZINC

Zinc is mainly found in animal protein.
Beef/100g = 12.4 mg of zinc
Pork/Chicken 100g = 5.1 mg of zinc
Oatmeal 1 cup = 1.5 mg of zinc
Oysters 100g = 78.5 mg of zinc!!

You can find zinc in nuts as well. However a normal adult daily dose ranges between 10-40 mg. 9-13 years old require 8 mg.

LOSING ZINC

If you don’t have enough zinc you’re:

prone to colds and viral infections, might have hair loss, develop acne, have chronic dry skin or impaired mental functions mostly often presenting as depression or depressive-like symptoms.

ZINC IS A GREAT FRIEND

to anyone who has ADHD. Here’s another surprise: Zinc is a very important mineral to those who have ADHD. Children with ADHD need between 55-150 mg of zinc! That’s an incredible amount compared to a normal dose. Why?
 
Zinc &Friends
#1: Zinc boosts the effectiveness of stimulant medication.

#2: Zinc helps the body tolerate the stimulant medication, reducing the negative side effect dramatically (insomnia, suppression of appetite, and emotionality)

A child with ADHD needs a lot more zinc than other children their age. I’m not certain why, but upon learning this, I firmly believe it works.


QUESTION: Do you get enough zinc? I know when I was younger, I had really bad acne as a teenager/young adult and looking back, I can honestly say I probably didn’t get enough zinc. I also had dry skin, and I was the queen of colds.  Now that I’m taking zinc regularly, the biggest difference I noticed is I have less bloating. It’s nice. What tips do you have for adults (and children) when it comes to getting/taking vitamins and minerals?




A POLISH HEART: 


BLURB:  

Can Sofia's faith give Darrin his heart back? 

EXCERPT:

The train came to his stop. He walked up the stairs and found Sofia waiting for him, her auburn highlights shining in the sunlight. Her face glowed like a rare gem.


"Hi."
"Hi, yourself," she replied. The warmth of her smile echoed in her voice.

Darrin fell in step beside her and pointed to a busy market square filled with retail shops.

"So, why do you want a prepaid phone?" she asked. Her chocolate eyes sparkled up at him.

"Well, I want something local so you don't have to make an international call to reach me."

"Me?"

"I'd like for you to be able to call me, and I thought it would be smart to put the construction company's number in there as well."

"All right." She paused. "Do you like veal?"

"I do."


"Mama's making breaded veal chops for dinner. She wants me to stop by the local market for a fresh loaf of bread and vegetables. Do you like peppers and corn?"


"Y ep."
"Papa also wants me to buy a bottle of his favorite vodka so he can share it with you."
"Really?"

"Interestingly, you have his approval."

Reviews:
5 Stars, Tara Manderino, Amazon Reader, “A totally enjoyable read.”
 5 Stars, Nancy Levine, Amazon Reader, “My grandfather was from Poland, but I have never been there, so I enjoyed reading about it as well as the customs about the Easter basket, etc.”
5 Stars, Billie Houston, Amazon Reader, “I love the warm-hearted tale.” 

BUY LINKS:



Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-polish-heart