Entertaining Interests: January 2015

Friday, January 30, 2015

Fast Five - Authors

Fast Five Friday is a weekly blog hop created by, us, Cover Girls. Its purpose is to connect with writers, readers, viewers, and bloggers. With that aim in mind, we would love for you to join us!

We're suckers for lists, so we thought it'd be cool to do a weekly blog hop where we list things. We've provided the topics for each week below, with five being the focus .

You're not required to post every week. You can pick and choose which topics you'd like to participate in.

Whatever topics you decide to do, please include the link to your Fast Five Friday post in the comments section of our FFF post each week, so we can stop by and show our FFF love to you!

Click here for info --> Cover Girls

Jan. 30: Five Favorite Authors

I enjoy many MANY authors' works but the ones above are the ones who stick out in my mind the most. Their noveltry (that's on purpose) is unique and imaginative, pulls you in, makes you feel as though you are truly living the words on the paper!

Monday, January 26, 2015

Express Yourself - Writerly Tips

Friday, January 23, 2015

Fast Five - TV Character Crushes

We're suckers for lists, so we thought it'd be cool to do a weekly blog hop where we list things. We've provided the topics for each week below, with five being the focus .

You're not required to post every week. You can pick and choose which topics you'd like to participate in.

Whatever topics you decide to do, please include the link to your Fast Five Friday post in the comments section of our FFF post each week, so we can stop by and show our FFF love to you!

Click here for more info --> Cover Girls

Jan. 23: Five TV Character Crushes

Lincoln - The 100

John Snow - GoT

Ragnar Lothbrok - Vikings

Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead

Ichabod Crane - Sleeping Hollow

Yeah, I realize I have a type... dirty & cunning.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Express Yourself - 2014 Fave Movie

Friday, January 16, 2015

Fast Five - Most Anticipated 2015 Novels

We're suckers for lists, so we thought it'd be cool to do a weekly blog hop where we list things. We've provided the topics for each week below, with five being the focus .

You're not required to post every week. You can pick and choose which topics you'd like to participate in.

Whatever topics you decide to do, please include the link to your Fast Five Friday post in the comments section of our FFF post each week, so we can stop by and show our FFF love to you!

Click here for more info --> Cover Girls.

Jan. 16: Five Most Anticipated 2015 Novels

Ensnared (Splintered #3) by A.G. Howard (Jan. 6, 2015)

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black (Jan. 13, 2015)

Please Remain Calm (This is Not a Test #2) by Courtney Summers (Jan. 20th 2015)

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) by Marissa Meyer (Nov. 24, 2015 - no cover yet)

Manners & Mutiny (Finishing School #4) by Gail Carriger (Nov. 2015 - no cover yet)

Bonus... cause I just stumbled upon it...

The Prey (The Hatchery #1) by Tom Isbell

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

2015 Audiobook Challenge

***My goal is to go for Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15.

I constantly listen to books while at work and I'm sure I'll go over the 15 mark but wanted to be humble about my limit. (Most of the books I read are audiobooks.)

2015 Audiobook Challenge

They had so much fun with the Audiobook Challenge so it’s coming back for 2015! Join The Book Nympho and Hot Listens for the 3rd year of great audiobooks.

Audiobooks are great for those times you want to read but can’t for some reason like driving, doing chores, working out, or if you’re one of the lucky ones like me, listen to them at work.

I know some of you are thinking, audio books? Pass. I thought that once too. But when you find a great narrator they can make the story even better. There are some series I will only listen even if I can get the Arc I’ll wait until the audio is available because the narrator does such a great job bring the book to life.

Reading Challenge Details:

Runs January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015. You can join at anytime.
The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2015 than you did in 2014.
Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
ANY genres count.
Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Shelfari, Booklikes, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc. – I’ve created a Goodreads Group for the challenge, feel free to join.
If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweeting about the challenge.

By request, a new level (Marathoner) has been added this year for the hardcore listeners and the numbers for My Precious has been changed from 30+ to 30-50.
Levels:

Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
Stenographer (can listen while multi-tasking) 10-15
Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30-50
Marathoner (Look Ma no hands) 50+

They've decided to go back to having quarterly updates to help keep everyone motivated and to snag new participants through out the year. There will be posts on the following dates for you guys to check in to let them know how your listening is going for 2015.

Update Schedule:

March 27th: 1st Quarter Update
June 19th: 2nd Quarter Update – Giveaway included
September 25th: 3rd Quarter Update
December 18th: 4th Quarter Update and Wrap – Giveaway included

Audio Resources:

FREE audio resources:

Overdrive through your local library

Audiobook Jukebox audios for review

Click HERE to see what audiobooks I've been reading!

Monday, January 12, 2015

Express Yourself - Musical/Play

Express Yourself is a weekly meme hosted by myself and Jackie. It's goal is to help our fellow bloggers get to know one another better by being nosey of course.

Each week we will find something different to post about. It will correlate with writing, blogging, and life in general. Then, we hope, you’ll follow suit and post what it is that motivates you.

This weeks question:

Jan 12-16: What is a musical or play you've viewed? ♫♪

Besides my kids' plays & musicals at their schools... none, unless you count the movie: ♫♪ Into The Woods ♫♪

Then I guess I have watched one... recently.

My little review: ♫♪ Into the Woods ♫♪ is a really great movie... if you're into that kind of thing. I'm more of a shoot'em & blow'em up, going on a fantasy walkabout kind of girl with my dwarfish friends, but I have to admit I liked it... not loved it but liked it.

50/50 campy... and Chris Pine really made me laugh with his overacting, respectively. While walking out I had verbally wished my friend & I had decided to see The Gambler.

Very talented and gifted actors/actresses and Meryl Streep was phenomenal! ♫♪

Friday, January 9, 2015

Fast Five - 2014 Adored Book Covers

We're suckers for lists, so we thought it'd be cool to do a weekly blog hop where we list things. We've provided the topics for each week below, with five being the focus .

You're not required to post every week. You can pick and choose which topics you'd like to participate in.

Whatever topics you decide to do, please include the link to your Fast Five Friday post in the comments section of our FFF post each week, so we can stop by and show our FFF love to you!

Jan. 9: Five 2014 Adored Book Covers

This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Snow Like Ashes (Snow Like Ashes #1) by Sara Raasch

Captive (The Blackcoat Rebellion #2) by Aimee Carter

Alienated (Alienated #1) by Melissa Landers

Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

4th Annual Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge

Welcome to the 4th Annual Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge hosted by Melissa’s Eclectic Bookshelf!

Click on badge for Sign up!

Welcome to the 2015 Challenge!!

RULES

Low commitment…you can sign up to read just ONE book as an INITIATE!!!

Participants who choose to link up reviews will be entered for the end of year prize!!

Challenge Rules:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015. I will be posting a place to link up a sign-up post (below), reviews and a wrap-up post. (Note: You do not have to review the books to participate, but only those who link up reviews will be entered for the prize)
Grab the reading challenge button (code & button below) and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate- you could track your progress and post reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, etc.
Any full length book that includes a witch as a main character or includes major witchcraft elements counts. They may be fiction or non-fiction. However, they should not be reference books which are not read cover to cover-I will leave this to your discretion.
Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
When you sign up in the linky put the direct link to your post about joining the 2015 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge, not just a link to your blog.
You can move up levels, but no moving down.
Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2015, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
Have some Witchy Good Fun !!!

LEVEL of READER

Initiate: Read 1 – 5 Witchy Books
Maiden: Read 6 – 10 Witchy Books
Mother: Read 11 – 15 Witchy Books
Crone: Read 16 – 20 Witchy Books

PRIZE

Witchy book of choice up to $10 from The Book Depository!

Participants who have officially signed up by linking up a sign-up post declaring their level will be given one entry for every review they link up. The more reviews you write and link up, the more entries in the contest! Link up your reviews on that month’s Review Link Up Post. Winner will be chosen on Jan 11th 2015 to give everyone a chance to link up their end of year reviews. All Review Link Up Posts can be accessed from my menu bar under my header!

I plan on signing up as an Initiate but maybe work my way up to Maiden and NOT posting Reviews... and if I do end up doing a review, it will be a VERY short one... we shall see.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Fast Five & EYM

We're suckers for lists, so we thought it'd be cool to do a weekly blog hop where we list things. We've provided the topics for each week below, with five being the focus .

You're not required to post every week. You can pick and choose which topics you'd like to participate in.

Whatever topics you decide to do, please include the link to your Fast Five Friday post in the comments section of our FFF post each week, so we can stop by and show our FFF love to you!

I was on vacation last week and totally forgot to blog... it happens. Click here --> Cover Girls.

Jan. 2: Five Favorite Novels Read in 2014