Figure O'Speech App/Game Review

Figure O'Speech is an uncommonly challenging, fun and free visual puzzle game from App-titude Games. It looks and plays somewhat like many popular guess-the-picture apps, but this one calls for an added dose of lateral and visual thinking. What do these pictures mean? Why are the words and graphics arranged the way they are?

Each puzzle represents something--a phrase, a proverb, a title, a name. Some may be easy to see; others might have you scratching your head for a while, and calling your friends over to see if they can "get it." Solve enough puzzles and you will unlock new sets of puzzles, each with its own theme (Movies, Famous Names, Proverbs and Idioms etc.).

With hundreds of puzzles, evocative hints, interesting music, and a guessing system that rewards you for getting close, Figure O'Speech is a great casual gaming experience, whether you play for a quick minute or for an hour. See if you can solve puzzles and unlock new sets before your friends do.

Test your app-titude and have fun.

I am so excited about this game!  As soon as I checked it out, I knew I'd be in love!

 

I remember being a huge fan of these sorts of puzzles since grade school and never being able to get enough of them!  They're difficult to find, however!  Now, they've been made into a game!  Some are pretty simple but they get really tricky!

 

So, here's how you play.  They'll give you clues and you have to guess the idiom or phrase.  For example, the word HEAD and then beneath it there would be rows of the word 'clouds'.  Figured it out?  Then there are empty dashes where you fill in your guess.  These are great for giving you clues.  _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _.  Figured it out yet?  No?  Don't worry!  There are hint buttons on the side you can use!  I had to a few times on some pretty tricky ones!  The answer?  Head above the clouds.  Sounds easy, right?  It is!  But it'll also test your brain power!

 

There are literally hundreds of puzzles here for you to solve!  It's great if you have just a few moments or if you have hours to blow.  Best of all, it's currently a free app, so what do you have to lose? 

 

Definitely give this game a chance!

 

It's currently free on Amazon HERE 

 

*This review is my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way.  Shawn

Redemption for a Rogue (The Regimental Heroes #4) by Jennifer Conner

Told by everyone, including his father, he is slow-witted, Lord John Mitchell is willing to do almost anything to avoid helping run the family estate or care for his orphaned nephew. His lifelong battle learning to read and write has convinced him his father is right.

After the death of her husband in the Crimean War, Vivienne Ravenhill needs financial stability for her son and herself.

When Lord John’s father suddenly dies, he is thrown into taking on the estate and the family’s mill. Are John’s learning disabilities something he can overcome in order to handle this responsibility?

Will Vivienne find a place in his home...and his heart?

An interesting look at tackling dyslexia in 1855.

I found this to be a cute story that could have been a wonderful book.  The characters are almost immediately endearing, but a little more character background on all of them would have been nice.  To me, it almost felt like the story was one event after another without much flow in between. A lot more could have been added to the story to make it a more enjoyable and less choppy read.

 It sort of has a 'Mary Poppins finds romance' feel to it.  We have Vivienne, who's the perfect nanny, perfect mother, perfect person, perfect woman.  We have Lord John, who isn't really a rogue but pretends to be in order to get out of the responsibilities of his title.  Add them together and you have a great little romance. 

I did like the fact that Lord John was given dyslexia, merely for the fact that it was interesting to see how others thought of his issues with reading and writing.  The story is set in 1855 and since it wasn't as prevalent, basically he was treated as if he was mentally deficient. 

Though I did enjoy reading this, I would really like to see Jennifer Conner go back and rewrite this as a full book.  There are so many openings and opportunities to take this from a decent short story to a great book.  You'll find it a fun little read as it is though.

 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Shawn

Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Romance is in the Air Giveaway Blog Hop! Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Rachael Anderson, this hop runs from Feb 8 - 14th and all blogs on the hop have a giveaway featuring a young adult romance, a clean romance or something else romantic.

I'm giving away a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card!

Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter and Good luck!

Love is in the Air Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Love is in the Air Giveaway Hop hosted by Under the Covers Book blog! All the blogs on the hop have a romance inspired book giveaway for you!

I'm offering the Kindle Omnibus - I Love My Healed Heart -Omnibus Part 1-4 (Erotic romance) by Sabrina Lacey! 

If you can receive a kindle gift copy through Amazon, then you can enter!

*Fill out the Rafflecopter below and happy hopping!

The Battle for Darracia (Schism #1) by Michael Phillip Cash

On the planet Darracia, an ever-widening social gap between its inhabitants is causing turmoil that is fracturing a once peaceful world. Struggling with his identity, nineteen year old Prince V'sair must harness the power of the elusive Fireblade, the secret to a warrior's heart, in order to overcome his uncle Staf Nuen's lust for supremacy. Will the energy of the Elements guide the young prince to his true destiny or will Staf Nuen conquer Darracia? After the success of his first three books (Brood X, Stillwell, and The Hanging Tree) Michael is fulfilling a dream and creating his own epic fantasy world. Schism: The Battle for Darracia is the first book in a planned series.

I fell in love with Cash's work the first time I read Brood X.  It was vivid and inviting and invigorating. I went on to read the rest of Cash's work, only to find that each one, while having his particular style, were completely different genres.  I was really looking forward to reading Schism for many reasons.  First, I enjoy Cash's writing.  It quickly pulls me away into a netherworld that nothing can pull me out of until I've finished. Second, Cash is a darn nice guy, and I love being supportive of darn nice people.  Third, I was really interested to see if this book fell into the same genres as any of his other work.  While I'd definitely label them all science fiction, of a sort, they range from horror to mystery to tragic comedy.  Where would Schism fit? Would he let me down this time?

I'm glad to say this was definitely up to the standards I've come to expect from Cash.  Once again, we have a completely unique story and this time, well definitely being sci-fi, I found it to be an action/political romance!  We have these wonderfully designed species on a uniquely formed planet.  It's set up so that there's a monarch and subjects, but also there's great division between the species on the planet.  Our beloved monarch is in a position to fix this and make it a united planet, but subplots abound!  Things won't be as easy as our king imagines!  

Then, we have an inter-species romance going on.  It's sudden and passionate and just brilliantly defined.  If they can survive through the end of the book, they just may be able to make the king's dreams come true.  By combining their forces and natures, they could become an unstoppable team, and thankfully they have the knowledge and honor to back themselves up.

I was expecting it to take me awhile to figure out this new world and these characters, but it was flawlessly splayed for me.  I didn't have pages and pages of needless background information to absorb.  I didn't need to hear the entire history of the planet or it's peoples.  I was simply led into a strange place and subtly fed the information I needed as I needed it.  

I'm really looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next. From horror to fantasy, this guy can do it all.  If Cash continues in the same manner he has been, the sky is the limit.

 

 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Shawn

Destiny (Destiny #1) by Laura DeLuca

Gabriella is a witch. The problem is, she doesn't remember. She repressed the memories of her powers years ago when her mother was murdered. Now, the warlock who was responsible for her mother's death has set his sights on Gabriella. He is determined to use her fear to turn her to the dark side of magick…even if it kills her. Her mother's spirit is reaching out to warn her, but even that she pushes away. Desperate to save her daughter, the spirit finds a male witch–one that just happens to be in love with Gabriella. Darron is more than willing to help but the two young witches will have way more to battle than just an evil warlock. There are overbearing jocks and petty rich girls who get tempers flaring and often set Gabrielle and Darron at odds.

There is more to the story than Gabrielle and Darron could even imagine. There are terrible secrets to be revealed, battles to be waged, and lives will be lost. Only after Gabrielle and Darron both come to terms with who they really are, and open themselves up to the true meaning of magick, can they have any hope of fulfilling their destiny.

I found this book so deliciously clichéd!  Not the entire thing, there are some wonderful twists and turns, but honestly it reminded me of when I first fell in love with 'The Craft'.  It's nothing like it, but it has that same witchy, homey, 'witch finding herself' feel. 

We have this wonderful cast of teenagers that you can love and hate and cheer and boo and just really enjoy.  As an adult, it reminded me why I'm so glad not to be a teenager anymore!  For teenagers, though, there's definitely going to be at least one character to identify with. 

The best part for me was that this is definitely the beginning of an epic story.  There's so much action and drama with a little romance inside.  I just can't wait to find out what happens next.  I was absolutely enthralled, clear through the epilogue. 

Thankfully, this is a good story for younger readers.  There's an allusion to sex at one point, but we don't have to watch it happen.  The language is pretty clean.  There's plenty of violence, but there really isn't much blood.  You'll find some scary parts, but they're not detailed enough to make them over the top.  You get to use your imagination and make it as gruesome or 'g' rated as you like.

 

 *I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Shawn

Counting to D by Kate Scott

The kids at Sam’s school never knew if they should make fun of her for being too smart or too dumb. That’s what it means to be dyslexic, smart, and illiterate. Sam is sick of it. So when her mom gets a job in a faraway city, Sam decides not to tell anyone about her little illiteracy problem. Without her paradox of a reputation, she falls in with a new group of highly competitive friends who call themselves the Brain Trust. When she meets Nate, her charming valedictorian lab partner, she declares her new reality perfect. But in order to keep it that way, she has to keep her learning disability a secret. The books are stacked against her and so are the lies. Sam’s got to get the grades, get the guy, and get it straight—without being able to read.

“Counting to D” by Kate Scott is the most enjoyable educational book I have ever read!    Samantha is a 15 year-old dyslexic girl who is uprooted from the life she knows in San Diego – from her close and supportive friends and well-organized academic regimen – to Oregon, where her mother has found a new job.    Right away, the reader is introduced to Sam’s unique coping techniques and behaviors as she struggles with her changing world and the challenge of finding her niche in a new place.   “Counting to D” does a good job of explaining dyslexia and what it can be like for someone to excel academically even with that limitation, using specialized educational methods and tools.  It is also good at showing the complexity of negotiating the teen years (with its requisite angst and peer pressure) within the context of having a special educational need.    At times, Sam’s voice does seem too sophisticated for a 15 year-old protagonist.   However, the mix of woeful teen and “Expert” may just be the best way to convey the complexity of learning disabilities and the way they are experienced and accommodated for in real life.   

Sam’s new life has more than the usual “how-do-I-fit-in” type of blues: she quickly becomes embroiled in an academic/intelligence class struggle at her new school.  She is immediately identified as a “smart” kid and soon finds her place at the academic elitist lunch table, where the brainiacs routinely compare test scores and turn their noses up at all other academic contenders.  Sam is bewildered to find herself torn between the ease of fitting in and the constant struggle to not be “outed” as a “Special Ed kid”.   

One of the main things I appreciate about “Counting to D” is Scott’s portrayal of Sam.  There is no clear physical description of her, outside of her hair color.  Sam does undergo a “make over” by one of her new Oregon friends, but there is no minutely outlined explication of what Sam actually looks like.  This is very refreshing, especially in light of the propensity to reduce women and girls to their physical appearance.  Instead, you get detailed descriptions of how Sam’s mind works and how she uses her audio graphic memory to overcome her inability to read. 

It is obvious that the writer is not merely regurgitating what she may have picked up about learning disabilities along the way, but has lived the experience -- Kate Scott was indeed diagnosed with dyslexia as a child.  “Counting to D” was an enlightening and enjoyable read, which reminds us that each of us has gifts to share. 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Malaika

Loreena McKennitt: The Journey So Far CD Feature & Giveaway

With 14 million albums sold, a pair of Juno Awards and two Grammy nominations, Loreena McKennitt is known for her groundbreaking blend of Celtic sounds and World Beat. Her career is now documented on this gorgeous retrospective album, with a deluxe edition including a second disc, A Midsummer Night’s Tour, featuring highlights from the live performance recorded at the Zitadelle in Mainz, Germany, in July of 2012—a return to the city in which the 2013 Grammy nominated Troubadours on the Rhine was recorded.

“When I look back on the road from where I have come, the people I’ve met, the places and experiences which have informed the music, or even where we created or recorded the music, I marvel at how rich my journey has been,” says McKennitt. “I recognize that many people will be hoping for a new recording and I am delighted to say that the process of researching a new recording has begun. At the same time we’ve learned that for one reason or another, certain parts of the world have only had limited access to my catalogue and this 30th Anniversary is an opportunity for us to introduce them to some of the musical highlights over these 30 years.”

A successful self-managed maverick since her early days busking on the streets of Toronto, McKennitt established her own Quinlan Road label and publishing company and has produced albums in various locales—including a barn in Southern Ontario, a Benedictine monastery in Ireland and Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studio in England, where she recorded four of her albums. Her releases include seven studio recordings, three seasonal recordings, and a live in-concert DVD from the Alhambra in Spain. She garnered double-platinum honors for 1997’s The Book of Secrets and its Top 20 crossover radio hit, “The Mummers’ Dance.”

Her appearances have taken McKennitt to concert halls and historical venues around the world, and have included performances for dignitaries including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, heads of state, as well as at the 2013 fantastical wedding of Sean Parker and Alexandra Lenas in Big Sur, California.

In addition to her musical career, McKennitt has been recognized for a number of noteworthy philanthropic initiatives. In 1998 she founded the Cook-Rees Memorial Fund for Water Search and Safety and she was instrumental in the transformation of a 1929 neo-Gothic school into the Falstaff Family Centre, a charitable organization focused on families and children.

In 2004 she was awarded the Order of Canada, the highest individual civilian honor that can be bestowed in her country, was appointed Knight of the National Order of Arts and Letters of the Republic of France in 2013, and she was also made an Honorary Colonel the Royal Canadian Air Force in 2006. As a privacy advocate she won a landmark privacy case in the UK. She has been awarded four honorary degrees for her non-musical endeavors.

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GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will win their own copy of The Journey So Far!

*Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter

*USA only

*Contest ends February 25, 2014

Star Power (Charly's Epic Fiascos #3) by Kelli London

Charly St. James takes on her biggest challenge yet when her television show goes for a ratings sweep by making over the life of a not-so-willing small-town teen with a big secret. . .

Charly St. James is on top, and she's determined to keep it that way. That's why she and the producers have come up with a plan to take The Extreme Dream Team to the next level--by turning loners into VIPs. After all, how can you enjoy your new digs if your life is jacked up? 

But when Charly meets her first makeover, Nia, she knows she'll have to do more than dress her up and boost her self-esteem. Nia is living in the shade of her twin sister, who is luxuriating in a major case of pretty girl syndrome. And the more Charly tries to get Nia to shine, the more her twin sabotages her mission. Good thing Charly loves a challenge, 'cause these twins' troubles are more than skin deep. . .

I'll be honest.  When I saw the book cover and read the blurb on the back, I wasn't overly anxious to pick this book up and delve into it.  To me, it looked and sounded like a crew of vapid people wanting to make the world look pretty and having a little trouble doing it.  In all reality, it seemed like a shallow waste of my time.  But, I was wrong.

Charly is actually a pretty intense character.  Even though I haven't read any of her previous books, she really made an impression on me.  She's not always right, but she has a good heart and she means well.  Don't anger her though or there will be Hell to pay!  There's actually a character here for pretty much everyone to identify with.  Even if you can't identify with them, you'll find yourself giggling at their antics.  You can't read a book with a character like Rory in it and not crack a few laughs.  It just isn't possible.

As for the story, it wasn't shallow at all.  It was actually a pretty strong journey into human nature and life.  Though everything appears to be on the surface when they reach the mystery makeover person's town, you quickly find that that's not the case.   There are lots of deep dark secrets for Charly to discover...if she can stay out of jail and stop ticking everyone off!

Don't let the cover on this one fool you.  London is a great storyteller and this is a great read.  It's quick and entertaining and you'll find yourself wanting more.

 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Shawn

Ekho by Marie D. Jones Book Blast & $50 Amazon/Paypal Giveaway!

EKHO by Marie D. Jones Ten-year-old Elvis Jones is tired of being picked on, taunted, and teased by the bullies at his elementary school, so he does what any smart, technologically brilliant kid his age would do: he creates EKHO, the Evil Kid Hunting Organization, a sophisticated network of kid spies and secret agents that utilize a variety of cool gadgets to stay one step ahead of the enemy – the bullies. They hire kids, make them swear allegiance to the organization, and train them as Commandos, Privates, and Elite Spies. As kids rise through the ranks, the missions, posted on an encrypted EKHO website, require more smarts and skill, especially when the bullies form their own counterspy group called DEKE (Destroy EKHO Kids Everywhere). It’s all in good fun, until the kids of EKHO must put their pretend skills to use for far more serious, and dangerous, missions. As field agents come across evidence of more sinister forces, they now have to deal with the strange, weird, and the unknown as they look for the truth about the bizarre and creepy threats to their school, their families, and their own lives. They experience betrayal, intrigue, infiltration and counter-espionage as well as teachers and adults who act more mysterious with each passing day, which leaves Elvis and his EKHO team wondering: who can you trust when the person standing next to you might not be entirely human?

Coming February 4, 2014

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * The Book Depository

Tour Schedule

Author Marie D. Jones Marie D. Jones is a best-selling author with an extensive background in unknown mysteries, metaphysics, science, and the paranormal. She has been featured multiple times on the History Channel in Ancient Aliens and Nostradamus Effect. Marie also served as a special UFO/abduction consultant for the 2009 Universal Pictures movie, The Fourth Kind. She is a staff writer for FATE Magazine and Intrepid Magazine and a regular contributor to Paranoia Magazine and New Dawn Magazine. Marie has been interviewed on hundreds of radio talk shows all over the world, including Coast to Coast AM, and has been featured in dozens of newspapers, magazines, and online publications, internationally. She has lectured widely at major paranormal, new science, and self-empowerment events, and is the screenwriter and co-producer of 19 Hz, a paranormal thriller in development with Bruce Lucas Films.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

 

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 2/28/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Vaultz Mesh Medicine Bags Review & Giveaway

These Vaultz mesh medicine bags are wonderful!  Basically, they're mesh bags with a crosswise zipper.  They come in all sorts of colors so that you can accessorize.  The crosswise zipper means that as soon as you unzip your bag, everything is easily accessible.  You don't have to pull out several things to reach the one thing you're after.  Since it is a mesh bag, you can easily see which item  you're hunting for.  Not only that, these have a really durable hook attachment so you can latch them onto nearly anything.

Even though these are designed for medications, I found several other uses for them.  The best use ever?  The diaper bag!  We have baby Tylenol and diaper rash cream and a thermometer and baby nail clippers among tons of other small items.  Now, I don't have to pull out 20 diapers and 3 outfits of clothing and search through pocket after pocket to find what I'm looking for!  It's as simple as pulling out my bag and it's right there!  Everything in one easy to you container!  These are also amazing for cosmetics in my purse!  It's just large enough to fit everything I carry with me, but not so large that it's bulky or takes up too much space.  I also keep one in the bathroom.  My son likes to use action figures in the bathtub.  At the end of his bath, I just zip up the action figures and clip up the bag, so they all get to drip dry and I don't have to worry about mold, mildew, or Batman trying to crawl into any of my body parts while I'm taking a bath!

For those of you that take medications, even if it's just ibuprofen, this could be a life saver for you.  For those of you who don't, you'll find this to be one of the handiest organizational tools available.  No more hunting for small items!  Not only that, it's an attractive bag! 

They can be found in the pharmacy area in Wal-Mart.

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will win three sets of the Vaultz Mesh Medicine Bags!

*Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter

*USA only

*Contest ends February 22, 2014

The Vicar's Wife by Katharine Swartz

        Jane Hatton loves her life in New York.  She is happily married to Andrew and has three children.  Her life is filled with her job at a non-profit that assists women in need and the demands of a frenzied family life.  When Andrew decides that he wants to move back home to England, Jane is shocked but agrees.  When the family moves to the former vicarage in Cumbria, she is unprepared for the adjustment that is required.  Thus begins Katherine Swartz’s The Vicar’s Wife.

 

         Cumbria is gloomy, rural, and insular—everything New York is not.  With no friends, a house with few amenities, and no job to occupy her time, Jane falls into a funk.  She resents the move and her attitude causes a rift between her and her husband.  Though her younger children are adjusting to to the move, Natalie, her fourteen year old, is sullen and withdrawn.  When Jane finds a grocery list written by a former occupant of the vicarage, she sets out to find more about the woman who occupied her home.

         Told in alternating points of view, the reader experiences Jane’s story as well as the point of view of the writer of the grocery list, Alice James.  Alice was the wife of the vicar in the 1930s.  Happily married, Alice makes the vicarage her home, even as she struggles as a new bride and vicar’s wife.  Through the changes in her life, she learns to soldier on and adapt—as well as to endure losses.

         There were many things to love about The Vicar’s Wife.  The English setting was well drawn and it came to life with Katherine Swartz’s descriptions.  The isolation, the coldness, and the loneliness of Cumbria helped reinforce Jane’s misery and I felt as though I could feel the wind rush over the coast.  Also enjoyable was the story of Alice and the establishment of her life as a newlywed at the vicarage.  I particularly enjoyed the characterization of Alice’s husband, David James, as well as the women who populated Alice’s later life:  her adopted daughter, her housekeeper, and the town’s scandalous single mother.

         My biggest complaint is about Jane.  She complained.  And I mean—she complained.  She completely hated England and took forever to make steps to leave New York behind.  She refused to make progress on making the house livable, made her family quite miserable, and even made a trip back to New York to help out at her old job.  However, when she finally made attempts to make England her home (making friends with other moms, going to community events, and talking to locals), it seemed that no one in her family even acknowledged her efforts.  Her husband, mother-in-law, and children berated her frequently for her lack of effort—even as she was making an effort.  It made me furious.  Unfortunately, this led to more sad-sack behavior from Jane and I found myself struggling to like her or her family at all.  The modern scenes were quite tedious for his reason, and the flashback scenes were far more enjoyable.

         Overall, I enjoyed The Vicar’s Wife.  I really enjoyed the theme of the importance of one ordinary life.  Though the vicar’s wife would never be famous, her life did count for something and had value.  Quite a nice message to pass along.

 

*I received a copy of this book for Kregel blog tours in exchange for an honest review.  Regina