PrincessReviews

I don't usually read horror, but my cousin was in town and she loves the genre. So we downloaded the audio book from the library (love my library!) and played it on the road on our way to Thanksgiving dinner. I was hooked. Reviver by Seth Patrick begins with Jonah Miller performing a revival. This is not the kind of revival we usually think of. In Jonah's world, there are people who can revive the dead for only a few moments. There are two main reasons to do this: 1) the dead are revived to say good-bye to loved ones, and 2) the dead are revived to name their killer. Jonah's job is to ask the murdered dead about their deaths and try to get information on their killer. Everything is routine until Jonah's most recent revival. When the dead woman Jonah revives speaks to him in a voice he knows is not her own, he realizes there is something in the darkness beyond death and it's watching him. After a famous writer is murdered, Jonah becomes involved deeper than h...

here is a link that will take you to the book: http://bookstore.xlibris.com/Products/SKU-000780005/The-Wizard-and-the-Fairy-Princess.aspx The Wizard and the Fairy Princess - H. F. Galloway : Xlibris bookstore.xlibris.com about the author: Having always been a storyteller, I was asked by a friend of mine if I would create a story with her being one of the characters. She had always dreamed of being a fairy. I said “Sure,” not having much knowledge of what being a fairy was. Churning my brain, I began the research. Every night, a piece of the story arrived while I slept, filtered in the subconscious mind. Being a writer, I get to savor the story like a fine meal, embracing every moment until sadly, happily, and unexpectedly it comes to the end. synopsis:A human is accidently transported back to an enchanted world where fairies live, and he begins to acquire magical powers, eventually becoming a wizard. At the same time, a fairy egg...

I want to thank Tasha for having me as a guest on her blog. I love talking about how I came to be a writer and how I put my stories together. My promise to my readers is that I write authentic crime while telling arresting stories. As a retired twenty-one year veteran of the Los Angeles Police department, I weave small bits and pieces of my experiences as a police officer into the stories I write. Police work is not always pretty and sometimes the reality can be troubling to those who don't wear the badge. Those who do wear the badge usually learn coping mechanisms for the evil acts people inflict on one another. Most police officers like to think they are trained to handle whatever the streets throw at them – and usually they are prepared. However, a year or so ago, police officers all over Southern California and, in particular, the LAPD were on edge – and with good reason. A former LAPD officer felt he'd been wrongly fired from the department and wrote a rambli...

Hey ya'll! I'm hoping to participate in the Miss Maryland competitions this year, but first I need to raise some money for the Children's Miracle Network! By donating to help me compete, you will also be helping sick children in the Maryland area and supporting the Miss America Organization. I had the best time being Miss Queen Anne-Hillsboro VFC Fire Prevention Queen 2012-2014, Distinguished Young Woman of the Eastern Shore for the Class of 2014, and Job's Daughter Honored Queen for Bethel 7 (Dover, DE) and hope to have great times with the Miss Maryland organization as well. Besides those "royal" titles, I also love lifeguarding, scuba diving, travelling and writing for PrincessReviews! If you could help spread the word about donating, or donate anything yourself, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you! xoxo, Tasha PS. Each contestant also needs a platform, or cause other the CMN that they'll be supporting. After finding out about the dangerous ...

As many of you may or may not know, I am a cheerleader. Throughout my many years cheering, most of my cheer bows have been the plain white, or a simple design my coach ironed onto our plain white bows. For being so plain, white, and boring, these simple bows usually end up costing around $7 per bow. Why they are so outrageously priced, I have no idea. Now that I am in college, every penny counts. This is especially true when you are also on a sports team, such as the cheer team, where added costs due to sporty affairs can really put a hole in your pocket. That is why my group's backspot decided she was done with expensive white bows - she was going to make our bows for a lot cheaper (see picture of iBase bow). Customizable "iBase EC Cheer" bow created by Aidan Murphy of CheerBowLife modeled by Tasha Nicole Haight They turned out fabulous! They are so cute and much, much better than the plain bows and cost nearly half the price! Turns out, they are A LOT cheaper to ...

  Hook Island. I'm not sure where it is; I was brought on a boat. We started in the Boca Ciega Bay, but I know for certain that is not where Hook Island is located. The bay water is brown and disgusting and dirty and gross and this water was a bluish-green almost like in the Caribbean. We probably ended up somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico...anywhos it's near St. Pete Beach, Florida. It's just an island. No buildings, no anything. Trees and sand and water. That's what it is. Plenty of boats pull up and dock there. Barbecues, camping, and bonfires are common. I liked it. Just beware of the strong current and sand spurs. Other than that, wear sunscreen and have fun!

  Warrington Farm is kind of a rip off in my opinion. $2 to pet a couple animals (cows, pigs, and horses) maybe isn't so bad, but $30 for a pumpkin is, especially when down the road at Blade Orchard you can get pumpkins just as large for $6. Besides the price, Warrington doesn't even grow their own pumpkins. They buy them at Councell Farms in Cordova, just like anyone else can, then they sell them at a higher price to make a profit. Definitely a not-nice move. But they're right off the highway and are in a convenient location, so if you want convenience and don't care about prices, feel free to stop by.

Back in August, I visited the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. This museum is all about the Ringling Bro's Circus. Being as I went on a field trip, I did not get much time to explore but the little I could I found interesting. I wish it had been an actual circus, but the miniature displays that were actually quite large were very impressive. It was like being a giant looking down upon a circus or like God watching from above - the figurines moved and everything! The museum however was only one part of the place however. Outside there was a garden and there were several other buildings still left for me to explore by the time I had to leave. The giftshop and Starbucks on site made the heat more bareable, but took valueable time away that I would have liked to spent in another building or looking more at the cool trees outside, or maybe even playing on the playground I saw. Because I went on a field trip, I'm not sure the price, but I'm sure it would have b...

*****Spoiler Alert***** Homeless in Hollywood by Jim Alexander Rice is an account of the author’s single-minded determination to break in to the business as an actor/scriptwriter. Over a two to three year period, the main character (author) lives hand-to-mouth on a Hollywood filming studio, dodging guards while trying to gain employment and a movie deal. It is inspiring and a bit scary at times. As much as I would like to be a best-selling writer, I have not felt the passion for it as the author so obviously has. The story was easy to read and follow. The danger and suspense of the constant threat of discovery brings an emotional draw to the tale. At times the extreme differences between the people who worked at or were stars of the Hollywood studios compared with the number of homeless people “living” just beyond its walls seems surreal. Why is there such a disparity? The author’s account feels like a fairy tale when he crashes studio parties and rubs elbows with the rich a...

Statue of Liberty Liberty Island ,  New York City ,  NY   10004 First tip: Book your trip well in advance if you want to go up to the pedestal and the crown. You must be at least 4 feet tall in order to go to the crown. There are no elevators to the crown, just hundreds of steps. I booked this trip online. It was only about $18/adult. This price includes access to the pedestal if there are enough tickets for it on the day you want. The park service only gives out a certain number per day. Book early. I believe the crown access is $4 more. If you don't get pedestal or crown access the price is the same just to walk around the island and Lady Liberty. There is one elevator that is run by the ranger so there is a long wait. If you're healthy, you can head up the hundred or so steps to the pedestal. Once there, the access to the outside is about three feet of space all around. You have to squeeze by people to walk around the entire statue. If you have crown tickets, yo...

The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park 2 West Street ,  New York City , NY   10004   (Financial District)    This was the first time we had been to New York. We were going to the Statute of Liberty so we decided to splurge a bit and stay in Manhattan. The Ritz Carlton near Battery Park was the perfect location. We were within walking distance to the Statue of Liberty ferry, the 911 Memorial and Wall Street. We visited the Bull on Broadway Street and the American Indian Museum (which is free as part of the Smithsonian). The hotel staff were very helpful and pleasant. I was impressed that they remembered our names every time we came through the lobby. Everything was clean and nicely decorated. When we arrived, they had welcome cookies and milk for our children. I thought that was a nice touch.  The room was spacious and had a view of the street and nearby buildings instead of the river. But we didn't mind. It did have a mini bar but you have to request fo...

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum 6th and Independence Ave., SW ,  Washington DC ,  DC   20560   (National Mall)   First tip: Go early in the morning. This was an amazing museum. Anything that you could think of relating to air and space was there. From the very beginnings of the thought of flight to looking out beyond our solar system. There is so much to see and discover. There are two floors and 10 or more separate sections of exhibits. There are airplanes suspended from the ceilings. There are satellites and rockets that had at one time actually been in use. There are many interactive exhibits and so much information that we could not see or read everything. There is a two-floor gift shop as well to purchase child-sized space suits, toy airplanes, science games, T-shirts, hats, postcards, books, etc. It is a Smithsonian museum so it is open free to the public, but they do accept donations. It was a wonderful visit. If you see anything i...

Homewood Suites Alexandria 4850 Leesburg Pike ,  Alexandria , VA   22302-1102   We booked this hotel because it was near Washington DC. Once you get off the highway, it is easy to find. Parking is very tight especially if you have a large truck or van. The parking is right off the main road, so make sure you secure your belongings and your vehicle. It did seem to be a pretty safe area, just a lot of traffic. The hotel is very nice and the staff were pleasant and helpful. We were impressed with the suite. It was stocked with almost everything we needed to enjoy our stay. We only really had a view of the roof, but that just gave us more privacy. The breakfast was well stocked and tasty. There was plenty of seating inside and out. We did not use the pool but it looked clean. We used the complimentary shuttle to take us to the metro so that we could ride the train into Washington DC. The drivers were very helpful and were on time to pick up and drop off. I recommend this ...

Children's Museum of Winston-Salem 390 South Liberty Street ,  Winston Salem ,  NC We enjoyed our trip to the Children's Museum. The cost is about $7 per person. There are two floors. The children can climb up a beanstalk to the second floor. Parents can take the stairs or elevator. There is plenty of seating for parents who supervise while their children play. There is a storybook area where children can milk a cow or see Goldilocks and the Three Bears' house. There is a row boat and a giant rocking chair that even made my 6 foot tall husband look like a kid. There is an alphabet area where each letter has an interesting activity or exhibit. There is a Food Lion store where children can be cashiers or customers. Children can also make doughnuts on the Krispy Kreme assembly line. It was a very nice trip with plenty to stimulate the imagination and educate with science and art. Visited July 2014 Rating 5/5

Willows Bistro, Winston-Salem, NC 300 South Liberty Street ,  Suite 125 ,  Winston Salem ,  NC We stopped here to eat before going to the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem because it was in the same parking lot. It is a unique little restaurant. With tasty and interesting entrees. The staff was nice. The place was clean and decorated with what looked like a local artist's paintings. The paintings were for sale. We enjoyed our meal. Visited July 2014 Rating 4/5

  BEST WESTERN PLUS Hanes Mall Hotel 3330 Silas Creek Pkwy ,  Winston Salem ,  NC   27103- This was the first stop on our week vacation road trip to Washington DC and New York City. The hotel was easy to find. It is newly renovated and looks very nice. They were still putting the finishing touches on the outside like adding flowers to the entrance. The surrounding area was not as nice looking as there was a big vacant, gravel lot on one side. The other side is covered with trees and just beyond that is the mall. Check in was simple and the staff was very nice. The decor is accented in green throughout the lobby and rooms. Our room was clean and nicely decorated. Everything was in good working condition. We did use the outdoor pool. The bottom had noticeable wear, but was for the most part clean. The only thing I did not like about the pool is that it could be accessed from outside the hotel. While I was there with my children, a man just walked up the outsid...

Title: First Light Author: Michelle Frost About the Author: (Goodreads) MICHELLE FROST has written everything from reviews on mustard and shampoo to horoscopes and an astrology advice column for a small South African newspaper. She won second prize in the Klein Karoo Arts festival, 2001, for a short story later published in the book  e-rupsie/e-ruption .Michelle has had other short stories and poems published in various publications and countries. This is her first book. Book Summary: (Back of Book) On the harsh militant world of Sindorus, where even colours are considered sinful, three people living very separate lives are about to have those lives change forever. As deceptions are torn away, and ancient secrets brought to light, they each must struggle to find the missing pieces to the puzzle...answers that will unlock their true destiny. Idrith, bitter and trapped in a life he never chose, is the first to discover his own fear-filled mystery. Obsessed with finding the ...

I first became aware of the Detective Dee or Judge Dee (Judge Di) stories when I saw the movie Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon. It was a movie in subtitles but I enjoyed the mystery and fantasy so I watched the next movie Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame. It reminded me a lot of the Sherlock Holmes stories in that Detective Dee used clues and deduction to solve the mystery, mixed with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon type stunts. However, Dee doesn't use science as his basis for discovery as Holmes did. I found this book at the library on audio cassette. The books were actually based on old works found by Robert van Gulik in the 1940s at a Chinese second-hand bookstore. The stories involved cases of a semi-fictional character based on the historical figure Di Renjie, magistrate and statesman of the Tang court which dated back to 7th century China. Van Gulik translated the works and then began writing his own stories. This book contains stories van Gu...

Beginning's End Book One of the Shattered Skies series by Heather Linn begins with an alien invasion. But it's not the kind we think of: little men with big heads. No, it's something far worse, and humans ignored the warnings. The aliens of Catalina's world are vampires who have come to enslave, feed upon and breed with the human race. The product of vampires and humans are Dominus, who are virtually invincible because of the vampires' careful planning. But will their over-planning be their downfall? The first chapter caught my attention right away. Who is Catalina? What is her weapon against these creatures that are twice as fast, twice as strong and can survive in the daylight? And how did she just kill one? The author's world of the Shattered Skies series has pretty cool concept of vampires and what would happen if they invaded Earth. The main character Catalina is brash and tough. She is not satisfied with her lot in life and is out to fight f...