Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Social-Distancing at the Botanical Garden and a Linky


One thing you'll quickly figure out about me is that I love taking photos. Most of them are my own unless stated otherwise. If I am in the photo, then probably one of my family members took it. Enjoy today's photos of our family practicing social-distancing at the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden. We were happy to get out of the house and enjoy nature while keeping away from other people. 

Sisters

Jessica, Amanda, Samantha, and Tina
Photo: Robbie Morley

Robbie and Tina
Photo: Samantha Morley

Amanda

Samantha

Samantha and Jessica

Bokmakierie (bushshrike)
Photo: Samantha Morley

Southern Fiscal Shrike
Photo: Robbie Morley

Southern Fiscal Shrike

Southern Fiscal Shrike

Southern Fiscal Shrike

***************************

Here's a peek at
my latest post
on 1camera1mom:

Aan de Doorns and Winelands

Flags: South Africa and USA

Goats grazing in the winelands

Follow me on Instagram!

***************************

My Latest Post on Real Church Life:

Last week, I wrote about washing and distancing being biblical practices after noticing some Christians were speaking and behaving in a counter-productive way, using their faith as an excuse to carry on like normal. You can find my post on Real Church Life titled, "A Faith-Based Approach to the Coronavirus."


***************************

My Latest Book Post:

Reading and Listening While Social Distancing
With links to free eBooks and audio books!


*********************

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday
(with or without words) or any picture post
at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.
Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!


I would love for you to follow me on
and
Follow on Bloglovin

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
  • Link-up any family friendly post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
  • If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
  • And, I'd love it if you could share about this hop on social media.
The Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter


*********************

*** If you want to comment, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. And, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

*********************
Read More
Posted by Christina Morley at Tuesday, March 24, 2020 Comments Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Reading and Listening While Social Distancing!

Free eBooks and audio books below!

I'm doing things a bit differently today. I want to encourage my readers during this topsy-turvy time. I hope my book related photos and these free and discounted books will be a source of comfort. All photos are my own. The first two reading rooms are from coffee shop restaurants.


Do you read eBooks are do you prefer them in print? With everyone being encouraged to stay away, this is the best time to give eBooks a try if you haven't already.


Reading

Two of my favorite sites that offer free and discounted eBooks daily are BookBub and My Book Cave. To download the Kindle books that I want onto my tablet, I use a free app. You can download these free apps to read Kindle books anywhere.


Listening

Amazon has put together a free selection of audio books while schools are out, handpicked by their editors for kids of all ages. All free. No sign ups. No commitments. You can find them here on Audible.

Prince as a kitten in 2013 and now fully grown

Social Distancing

The other day, I wrote "A Faith-Based Approach to the Coronavirus" on Real Church Life after noticing some Christians behaving in a counter-productive way regarding their faith and the coronavirus. These people want to use their faith to carry on as normal and don't want to have their movements restricted. God is practical and He gave practical instructions regarding contaminants and contagious diseases in the time of Moses. Modern medicine took a long time to catch up to what God was saying way back then.

While practicing social distancing on this Sunday, our family watched two church services (one of them was a live broadcast) from the safety of our home in South Africa. We also joined in on the World Day of Prayer to pray for the world during this difficult time.

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13&14 NIV).


Read More
Posted by Christina Morley at Sunday, March 22, 2020 Comments Labels: , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Catching Waves and a Linky


I know that every year I share photos of my husband and daughters boogie boarding, but every year the waves are so cool and unpredictable. The way the sunlight falls is always a little different too depending on the clouds and the time of day. These pics were taken over December, which is our summer holiday in South Africa. Amanda was exiting the beach when I took these photos of her dad boogie boarding.

Amanda and her dad at the beach








***************************

Here's a peek at
my latest post
on 1camera1mom:

Mush Slime Workshop



***************************

My Latest Book Reviews:


Hidden Magic Anthology

Hidden Magic (Magic Underground Anthologies Book 1) by [Kucsera, Melinda, Schultz, Joynell, French, Lee, Lyne, H.B., Oak, Raven, Escobar, Alesha, Shand, Tiffany, Johnson, C.S., Deen, Anela, Erik Kort, Devorah Fox, Stephen Wallace, Gwendolyn Woodschild, Leah W. Van Dinther, Barbara Letson, C.K. Rieke, William C. Cronk, Majanka Verstraete, Toasha Jiordano, H.M. Jones, AR Johnston]


Follow me on Instagram!


*********************

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday
(with or without words) or any picture post
at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.
Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!


I would love for you to follow me on
and
Follow on Bloglovin

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
  • Link-up any family friendly post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
  • If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
  • And, I'd love it if you could share about this hop on social media.
The Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter


*********************

*** If you want to comment, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. And, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

*********************
Read More
Posted by Christina Morley at Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Comments Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Hidden Magic Anthology

Hidden Magic Anthology

Hidden Magic (Magic Underground Anthologies Book 1) by [Kucsera, Melinda, Schultz, Joynell, French, Lee, Lyne, H.B., Oak, Raven, Escobar, Alesha, Shand, Tiffany, Johnson, C.S., Deen, Anela, Erik Kort, Devorah Fox, Stephen Wallace, Gwendolyn Woodschild, Leah W. Van Dinther, Barbara Letson, C.K. Rieke, William C. Cronk, Majanka Verstraete, Toasha Jiordano, H.M. Jones, AR Johnston]

Book Description:

No matter the world, life can be dangerous. Be they wizards and shamans, assassins, or everyday people, Hidden Magic tells their stories about escape, consequences, and most of all, magic.

 From Earth cities and fantastical new worlds comes a collection of stories where heroes grapple with the seen and unseen in order to save themselves, their families, and often the world. This collection features:

  • Elderly antiques experts interacting with souls
  • Shamans growing outlawed magic
  • Baby chimeras battling for their lives
  • Children sprouting fluffy tails
  • A king’s boat thrown off-course
  • A perfect life coming at a not-so-perfect cost
  • Vikings defending a village against the unseen
  • A lone shifter atoning for his past mistakes
  • Trolls and pixies tumbling through the doorway to another world
  • And more!

Authors in this anthology include: USA Today Bestseller Joynell Schultz, USA Today Bestseller Melinda Kucsera, Seattle Times regional bestseller & multi-international award winner Raven Oak, Tiffany Shand, Alesha Escobar, USA Today Bestseller Lee French & Erik Kort, H.B. Lyne, Anela Deen, Majanka Verstraete, C.K. Rieke, Devorah Fox, Leah W. Van Dinther, C.S. Johnson, Barbara Letson, Toasha Jiordano, Gwendolyn Woodschild, H.M. Jones, Stephen Wallace, AR Johnston, and William C. Cronk.

Purchase on Amazon

My Review:

I'm reviewing The Mail-Order Witch Episode 1 in the first anthology, Hidden Magic. It's a cozy magical mystery about a witch named Ettie who wants to help people, but she's finding it hard to be accepted in the community. Her husband, Roman, wants to see her succeed and purchases a store for her, which she names Ettie’s Enchanted Effects. There's a religious lady who looks after the church across from Ettie's store who is prejudiced against magical people. Things only get harder when an entire class of second-graders sprout tails and she gets blamed. There’s a bit of a resolution, but the mystery continues in The Mail-Order Witch Episode 2 in the second anthology, Wayward Magic.

I'm also reviewing the short narrative serial “The Ones Who See” by C.S. Johnson in Hidden Magic. This is a thought-provoking coming-of-age story about a utopian society that is hiding a dark secret. There’s a girl named Skyla who is in the process of saying goodbye to her childhood and embracing her new status as a contributing community member. However, the young man that Skyla likes wants her to see what the community has been hiding. What she sees is so disturbing that she makes a resolution to fight for change. The story will continue in “The Ones Who Fight” in Wayward Magic.

More by Joynell Schultz:

About the Author:
Joynell Schultz

Joynell Schultz

Joynell Schultz manages the family zoo (literally!) and writes romantic speculative fiction in her (nearly non-existent) free time. She's a pharmacist by training (boring!) but prefers to hang out with zebras and bears or some imaginary characters.


**********************

Nonfiction by C.S. Johnson:



About the Author:
C.S. Johnson

C.S. Johnson is the author of several young adult novels, including sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles series, the Once Upon a Princess saga, and the Divine Space Pirates trilogy. With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in Atlanta with her family.


Read More
Posted by Christina Morley at Sunday, March 15, 2020 Comments Labels: , , , , ,

Friday, March 6, 2020

Fae Captive

Fae Captive
Tangled Fae Book 2

Fae Captive (Tangled Fae Book 2) by [Wilson, Sarah K. L.]

About the Book:

Title: Fae Captive (Tangled Fae Book 2) | Author: Sarah K.L. Wilson | Pages: 200 | Genre: Folklore Adaptation | Recommended Ages: Young Adult and Up

Book Description:

Think you could craft the perfect bargain?

From USA Today bestselling author Sarah K. L. Wilson comes a deliciously trope-filled young adult romantic fantasy about a viciously humorous mortal girl and her quest to hunt, trap, and conquer powerful fae.

Allie Hunter thought all she had to do was make an exchange to buy back her father's life. She was wrong. Mortals are so often wrong about the Faewald. Usually, that kills them, or mires them in bargains that will suck their life out sip by sip.

With Allie caught in a cage and the Fae she had once tormented her new captor, can she strike the right bargain to save everything she loves?

Purchase on Amazon Kindle!

My Review:

Fae Captive is the second book in the brand new Tangled Fae series by Sarah K.L. Wilson. The story starts off with a bang and doesn’t slow down. There are heart-pounding twists and turns with gruesome scenes and plenty of action. The chemistry between Allie and Scouvrel is intense. Just a kiss can make Allie’s world shift and change her made-up mind. But out of the two, who will have the upper hand? This book ends at a good stopping point, but it will leave you breathless for more! If you like fantasy and adventure with some romance, then you'll enjoy Sarah's books. She writes YA, but I would place her latest series at Upper YA.

Disclosure: I received an ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

More Books by Sarah K.L. Wilson:

Tangled Fae Series:

The Dragon Tide Series:

The Dragon Chameleon Series:

The Complete Dragon School Series:

Other Books by Sarah Wilson:

About the Author:
Sarah K. L. Wilson

Sarah K L Wilson

USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, hails from the rocky Canadian Shield in Northern Ontario where she lives with her husband and two small boys. Her interests include the outdoors, history, and philosophy. Her books are always about fantastical adventures in other worlds.

Sarah K.L. Wilson: Website

Read More
Posted by Christina Morley at Friday, March 06, 2020 Comments Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

2 Birthdays and More with a Linky


It was Amanda's 12th birthday on Friday and today it's my birthday! We made Amanda a special breakfast before school. The kids at her school don't have to wear the school uniform when it's their birthday, so I took photos of the outfit that she wore. We also gave her two gifts from us, a set of wireless headphones and a Mush Slime ticket for a slime making workshop near Cape Town. She knows of two friends who are also going, so she'll see them there. Of course, she's very excited about it. We plan to meet up with her big brother after the workshop.


Amanda and Prince


Robbie and Amanda made me a nice breakfast this morning and Amanda made an elaborate birthday card for me. I took close-up photos, so you can see what she wrote. She said the nicest things. I'm so glad to be her mother! I thought the "No Mothers" allowed in the library was hilarious. Of course, I got a few gifts too!






***************************

Here's a peek at
my latest post
on 1camera1mom:

Birthday Lunch at Du Toitskloof

Robbie and me

Sisters: Samantha and Amanda

*********************

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday
(with or without words) or any picture post
at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.
Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!


I would love for you to follow me on
and
Follow on Bloglovin

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
  • Link-up any family friendly post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
  • If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
  • And, I'd love it if you could share about this hop on social media.
The Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter


*********************

*** If you want to comment, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. And, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

*********************
Read More
Posted by Christina Morley at Tuesday, March 03, 2020 Comments Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

© 2011 Amanda's Books and More, AllRightsReserved.

Designed by ScreenWritersArena