Siding with Plato: A Romantic Comedy Chick Lit About College Life, Love, and Chaos

Siding With Plato is a romantic laugh-out-loud chick lit novel about Being Young, Beautiful, and a Seriously Hot Mess! Brooke Aarons can’t get to college fast enough. Leaving behind her small town life, she intends to transform herself into a brilliant psychologist at the University of Texas, with no distractions to slow her down. But when a twist in her plans lands her on double date with the school’s star jock – and worse, enjoying it – Brooke has to wonder if she’s the one who needs her head examined. James Cartwright’s easy life, endless bucks, and long line of willing girls should make him a non-starter for Brooke, but as she learns, the psychology behind a bad crush is a whole lot messier of a subject.  

Author Michelle Manning

Michelle Manning is a Southern California native who ventured over to Arizona State University in 2005, where she majored in journalism and met the friends who would later inspire her book series. After receiving her degree, she worked in the entertainment industry as an editor and red carpet reporter for a news outlet in Los Angeles until she moved to New York – shortly after releasing her debut novel, Siding With Plato!  

$100 BookBlast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/26/13 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. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you seen the new Showtime series “Masters of Sex”? It premiered on September 29 of this year and was developed by Michelle Ashford and based on Thomas Maier’s biography Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love.

This wonderful new series stars Michael Sheen as Dr. William Masters and Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson, pioneering researchers of human sexuality at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

You know, I had heard about Masters and Johnson, but I never really knew their story as they were around way before I was and I’m finding this series completely fascinating. It delves into the main characters’ lives and personalities and shows how they found one another and began the studies that would change how we all look at sexuality.

Lizzy Caplan is strong and independent. Michael Sheen is stubborn, yet vulnerable. Their performances are stellar as are their co-stars, including Beau Bridges and Allison Janney. The direction is excellent and each episode has become more interesting as we delve deeper into the characters’ lives and emotions.

Also, the 1950’s decor, wardrobe and hairstyles are impeccable as great care has been taken with the details. It’s another era and one which is so very different from our own.

If you are interested in a no holds barred series with comedy, tragedy, laughter and a few tears, then, Masters of Sex is most definitely worth checking into. Its powerful performances and plotlines have me impatiently waiting for the next episode!

If you haven’t looked into it yet, you can check out the trailer here and look for it on Showtime!

Have you watched yet? If so, what are your thoughts?

Tied by Laney McMann

Normal people don’t believe their nightmares stalk them. They don’t fall in love with boys who don’t exist, either. Seventeen-year-old Layla Labelle, though, is far from normal. Her delusions walk the earth. Her hallucinations hunt her, and her skin heats to a burn every time her anger flares. Or is that all in her head? Layla doesn’t know what to believe any more because if none of that’s true, Max MacLarnon must be an illusion, and her heart must still be broken. No matter how much she wants to believe Max is real, doing so would mean everything else is, too. How, then, is that possible? The answers lie in an age-old legend the supernatural aren’t prepared to reveal, and with a curse that could tear Layla and Max apart forever—if it doesn’t kill them both first. In TIED, book one in the Fire Born trilogy, learning the truth will mean fighting an arsenal of demons, and being with Max will put Layla on a path toward her own destruction. Just how far will Layla go to protect the one she loves? The answer may never be far enough … away.

 Praise for Tied: “The author has taken a unique concept and created a brilliantly written story. One of my new favorite fantasy books.” — The Reading Diaries “I was so engrossed in this story that real life went on without me being aware of it.” — Crazy Four Books

Author Laney McMann

With a passion for the supernatural and all things magical, Laney developed a voracious appetite for reading fantasy at a young age. A vivid imagination helped set the stage for creating her own worlds and placed her onto the writing path. By the time she reached her teens, she’d accumulated notebooks full of poems, which led to short stories and finally novels. Young adult dark fantasy, paranormal romance, and mythology are among her favorite genres. A former classical dancer and chef, she grew up in sultry Florida where she still resides with her family.  

BookBlast Giveaway

 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/24/13 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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jawbreaker

You have created yourself every second since the day you were born. Bit by bit, layer by layer. You are a million moments. You are your gift to the world. You are a jawbreaker. This exciting new non-fiction book for young adults is a guide to exploring who you are, and deciding who you want to be. Get ready to: – Find and fuel your fizzing center spark. – Tune in to personal guidance techniques. – Unleash your absolute uniqueness. – Develop a cutting edge brand from scratch. – And so much more! Packed with tools and jewels to navigate the new world, Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse (17,000 words) will let you build on your strengths, and show you your story in a whole new way. It’s time to uncover the world’s best kept secret: You.

  ***Book Blast Special 1 Get your Kindle copy of Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse for 99c!

***Book Blast Special 2 Jolene’s YA non-fiction, Total Blueprint for World Domination shows you how to design your dream world and make it happen! And it’s free for a limited time:

***Blogger Special Fill in the form to get free e-copies of Jolene’s books to review!   Parents, educators, and teen readers have called Jolene’s books inspiring, empowering, powerful, and life-changing. If you’re looking to get motivated, love your life, and explore who you are, Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse is for you!

Author Jolene Stockman

 Jolene Stockman is an award winning writer, speaker, and an expert for Girlfriend Magazine Australia. She is a Master of Neuro Linguistic Programming, and one of the youngest in the world to achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster Award. Jolene lives in New Zealand, and is the author of motivational non-fiction Total Blueprint for World Domination, and contemporary fiction The Jelly Bean Crisis. Jawbreaker: Unlock the (U)niverse is her latest book.

$100 BookBlast Giveaway

 $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/24/13 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. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sierra by Taylor Dean  

Have you ever been lost in the woods? Alyssa Fontaine’s life, loved ones—everything familiar and dear—are brutally taken from her. Taken captive by two men, she endures a horrific nightmare. A new life is forced upon her and even a new name. Just when it appears that no hope is in sight, she is saved by an unlikely twist of fate. Trapped in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, life will open its arms to her again and she will embrace it. She will find love such as she never knew existed. Sierra is a heart-wrenching story of the power of the human spirit to survive amidst impossible circumstances and severe losses. It is a story of survival . . . and hope.  

 Praise for Sierra: Every now and then you come across a novel that profoundly takes your breath away, and Sierra is that novel. -Kathleen of Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Author Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up.  

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/22/13 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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway;

This year has flown by so fast; it’s hard for me to believe that it’s almost November! November 3 is when we “fall back” and change our clocks back from Daylight Saving Time. It’s also the time of year when Energizer, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and fire departments nationwide join forces for the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program. This program is all about raising awareness of the importance of working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to help keep families safe!

This year marks the 26th year for this wonderful program and the message is always relevant and important.

I can remember a kitchen fire we had in our home when I was a child. Mom was making french fries and the oil got out of hand. It was amazing how fast the fire spread and I still remember the terror of trying to make sure everyone was out of the house and safe!

I feel that anything we can do to minimize the risk is a blessing and smoke alarms with working batteries are a large part of helping families get out safely in any emergency.

Fact: 38% of fatal fire injuries occur in homes with no smoke alarms and 24% occur in homes in which at least one smoke alarm is present but fails to operate, often due to missing or dead batteries. 

Energizer would love you to start a new tradition in your home. Change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when you set your clocks back – keep your family safe!

Energizer is also offering one of my readers their own Family Safety Kit which comes in a reusable grocery tote:

Inside you’ll find:

·         One 16-pack Energizer_® MAX_® AA Batteries
·         One 1-pack of Energizer_® MAX_® 9 volt batteries

·         One Energizer_® Weatheready^® LED Safety Light flashlight – Waterproof flashlight powered by AA, AAA or C cell batteries

·         One Kidde Battery-Operated Combination Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm 

Simply enter via Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, from now through November 3, you can visit the Energizer Bunny Facebook page and click on the Fire Safety Info Tab. Here you can enter a sweepstakes to win another Family Safety Kit as one will be given away each day. These kits have a value of over $167.00.

In addition you can find fire safety tips, a home escape plan that you can download and draw your family’s home escape plan, as well as a coloring and activity sheet. 

Often the simplest actions can do the most good. Stay safe!

 Disclosure: I received a kit just like the one that is being given away here, however, all opinions are strictly my own.

Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings

Angus MacBain is unaware that his ancestral roots hail from an ancient sect of Scottish kings. When his dying grandfather gives him a dragon pendant, thirteen-year-old Angus learns of a legacy that will take him across an ocean to the island of Iona and thrust him into a heritage he did not know he had. He soon discovers that his mother, whom he had believed dead, is really a seal fairy, in hiding from a dangerous enemy. To save her, Angus must undergo a perilous journey of destiny and power to battle an evil Dacian knight and those who serve him. With only his family shield and the advice of a wizened vampire hunter to protect him, Angus must navigate dangerous terrain and dark enemies, in a land where the past and the present mingle, and sleeping kings wake.

Author Angela Townsend

Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places. Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally led her to a full time writing career. Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her fiddle, and Irish dancing.

BookBlast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/4/13

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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Go BIG or go EXTINCT!

Directed by the amazing Guillermo del Toro, Pacific Rim is an epic science fiction film set in the 2020s. Earth is at war with Kaijus; colossal monsters from an inter-dimensional gateway on the Pacific Ocean floor.

In retaliation, humanity unites to fight these huge monsters by creating the Jaegers: gigantic humanoid robots that are controlled by two pilots whose minds and memories are linked. The story takes place in the later days of the war, following Raleigh Becket, a former Jaeger pilot called out of retirement who is paired up with newbie pilot Mako Mori in a final effort to defeat the Kaijus!

Pacific Rim is released today on Blu-ray & DVD Oct.15!

 
Win a Blu-Ray copy of Pacific Rim – open to the US and Canada

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I am partnering with Warner Bros. on this giveaway

When you’re a college student, there’s so much to learn and to explore. It’s always great to have some extra funds for concerts, school activities and going out with your friends. But, so often, any extra funds go towards education. While education is primary, you’d still love to find a way to save some money.

When I was in college, I spent a great deal of money on textbooks that I often didn’t even look at after the semester was over. I really wish that CampusBookRentals was around then because I would have really taken advantage of this option!

Let me just add that if you do decide to purchase the book after your semester, you have that choice as well.

Are you or your kids in College this Fall? Here are some of the awesome perks from CampusBookRentals:

You can save a whopping 40-90% off of bookstore prices.

You get free shipping both ways so it really couldn’t be easier or cheaper (You get a prepaid return envelope).

They have flexible renting periods and friendly customer service.

You can highlight in the textbooks! (Yes, you can underline, make notes, whatever you like!)

CampusBookRentals is one of the pioneers of the textbook rental movement which began in the summer of 2007, so they really do know their business. 

Since then, they’ve rented over 1,000,000 textbooks at over 5500 campuses nationwide.

They’ve been mentioned in the New York Times, CNN, the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek and have the largest selection in the nation.

In addition, CampusBookRentals now has a new program, RentBack.

RentBack is a new initiative that lets students rent the textbooks they own – to other students… which is pretty incredible because it makes them 2-4x more money compared to what they’d make through buyback options! (selling their books back at the end of the semester)

You can check it out in this brief video!

And, here is one of my favorite parts: CampusBookRentals  has  teamed up with Operation Smile, a wonderful organization that performs life-changing cleft lip surgeries on children whose families could not otherwise afford it. For every book rented, they donate a portion of those proceeds to Operation Smile.  Saving money and helping others at the same time, what could be more ideal?

Connect with CampusBookRentals:
Website
Facebook
Twitter 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, however all opinions are completely mine.