When I first looked at The Curse of the Spider King: Book 1 in the Berinfell Prophecies, I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t too jazzed. The cover of this books has lots of gross looking spiders with knights riding on them. I hate spiders and I’m not a big fan of the fantasy genre either. This book by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper was written for ages 12-17. When I offered it to my kids to read, my 14 year old grudgingly offered to read it. I was pleasantly surprised when an hour later she came out of her room and told me “This book is amazing!” And from the time she finished the book, she has asked time and time again “Do you know when the second book is coming out?”

I’ll let her tell you in her own words what she thought.

When I first saw the book Curse of the Spider King, I thought it was the lamest book ever, but I was just judging by its cover. As I started reading it, I couldn’t pit it down. Curse of the Spider King was amazing. I just wanted to keep reading and never put down this mysterious book.

The book is about seven 13 year olds who live in our world, not realizing that someday they are going to save a world beyond their own. I love the characters Batson and Hopper created. The seven teens are my age and it sort of gives me something to think about…What would I have done if it was me?

The end of the book had a one chapter sneak preview of the second book. I’m so glad there is a second book!!! I can’t wait to read it. And this time, I won’t judge a book by its cover.

As a mom, it’s comforting to know that books put out by Thomas Nelson won’t be full of bad language and questionable morals. I can allow my teens to read them without having to read them first!

If you have a teen, this book would be a great Christmas gift! You’ll definitely want to check it out.

The Curse of the Spider King: Book 1 in the Berinfell Prophecies
By: Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper
Ages: 12 – 17
Put out by: Thomas Nelson
Price: $14.99 (You can purchase this book from Amazon by clicking here or clicking on the image of the book in the left sidebar.)

Disclosure: This book was provided to me free of charge by Thomas Nelson in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed here were my own or those of my sweet daughter.

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When I first looked at The Curse of the Spider King: Book 1 in the Berinfell Prophecies, I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t too jazzed. The cover of this books has lots of gross looking spiders with knights riding on them. I hate spiders and I’m not a big fan of the fantasy genre either. This book by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper was written for ages 12-17. When I offered it to my kids to read, my 14 year old grudgingly offered to read it. I was pleasantly surprised when an hour later she came out of her room and told me “This book is amazing!” And from the time she finished the book, she has asked time and time again “Do you know when the second book is coming out?”

I’ll let her tell you in her own words what she thought.

When I first saw the book Curse of the Spider King, I thought it was the lamest book ever, but I was just judging by its cover. As I started reading it, I couldn’t pit it down. Curse of the Spider King was amazing. I just wanted to keep reading and never put down this mysterious book.

The book is about seven 13 year olds who live in our world, not realizing that someday they are going to save a world beyond their own. I love the characters Batson and Hopper created. The seven teens are my age and it sort of gives me something to think about…What would I have done if it was me?

The end of the book had a one chapter sneak preview of the second book. I’m so glad there is a second book!!! I can’t wait to read it. And this time, I won’t judge a book by its cover.

As a mom, it’s comforting to know that books put out by Thomas Nelson won’t be full of bad language and questionable morals. I can allow my teens to read them without having to read them first!

If you have a teen, this book would be a great Christmas gift! You’ll definitely want to check it out.

The Curse of the Spider King: Book 1 in the Berinfell Prophecies
By: Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper
Ages: 12 – 17
Put out by: Thomas Nelson
Price: $14.99 (You can purchase this book from Amazon by clicking here or clicking on the image of the book in the left sidebar.)

Disclosure: This book was provided to me free of charge by Thomas Nelson in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed here were my own or those of my sweet daughter.

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I love hosting parties and helping to coordinate events, but I have to be honest about my hostessing abilities. I’m not very organized and I usually end up having a nervous breakdown the day of the party…especially when it’s at my home. I’ve even been known to stuff everything sitting out around the house (mail, shoes, etc) in my dryer to make my house look neater. I have a hard time remembering who is coming, how many friends they’re bringing, if they offered to bring a food or drink (and half the time, I’m not sure what kind of food to provide as a main dish). Party planning can be overwhelming, but I have found a great tool…Purple Trail. Purple Trail is like having your own event planner!

I’m sure you’re wondering what makes Purple Trail so special and what exactly it is they do!

• Purple Trail allows you to create and send out online invitations (and birthday cards and holiday cards…) without those annoying ads that many online invitations and cards come with! They have hundreds of pre-designed online invites, ecards and announcements to choose from. Choose one and send it as is or you can customize it with your own photos, videos, music, and embellishments. You can even choose to make your own design from scratch. The Design Center is super easy to use. If you don’t believe me, just check out this video.
  

• You can also create a matching event website that is interactive. Not only can guests find all the necessary details (directions, dress code, etc.), but they can also RSVP and add their two cents about time and location. And…they even have a potluck feature where guests can specify what they’re bringing to the party (I really like this feature…makes my life easier for sure)!

• Purple Trail allows you to share your invitation via Twitter and Facebook. Plus, with the easy to use Address Book, you can import your contacts from Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail.

• If you’re one of those people who is always looking for a good reason to entertain, check out the Party Trail section of the site. You’re sure to find a reason for gathering or celebrating! Whether you’re planning a basic dinner party, a Girls Night Out (or In), or a football party, you’re sure to find some fun ideas and great tips.

• Purple Trail even allows you to interact with your guest after the event. You can design and send thank you notes. You can even share photos and videos of the event and allow your guests to do the same.

Purple Trail has several plans available to you. These plans range in price from Free to $49.95/year. To find out more about these plans, click here.

Purple Trail has graciously offered to give one of my readers a Basic Membership which is valued at $14.95/year.

Want to Win It? Simply head on over to Purple Trail and leave a comment here with your favorite design style. This is required!

Want Extra Entries:**

1. Follow Simplified Saving on Blogger (or with Google Friend Connect).

2. Subscribe to Simplified Saving via email and /or RSS feed.

3. Blog about this giveaway and link back to this page (Leave your post URL)

4. Take my pretty new button and post it on your blog. (Leave your blog URL)

5. Follow me on Twitter (@LisaAboutLife) and tweet this: Win a @PurpleTrail Basic Membership to help with your holiday party planning! Fun Giveaway @LisaAboutLife http://bit.ly/28Ow6E (Leave your tweet URL)

6. Leave a comment with your favorite tip for planning a stress free party!

**Please leave a separate comment for every entry. If your email address is not visible in your Blogger profile, please leave your email address with every comment! This giveaway will be closed on November 20th at 8pm ET.

{Disclosure: I was provided with a Premium Membership to Purple Trail in conjunction with Mama Buzz.}

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I love hosting parties and helping to coordinate events, but I have to be honest about my hostessing abilities. I’m not very organized and I usually end up having a nervous breakdown the day of the party…especially when it’s at my home. I’ve even been known to stuff everything sitting out around the house (mail, shoes, etc) in my dryer to make my house look neater. I have a hard time remembering who is coming, how many friends they’re bringing, if they offered to bring a food or drink (and half the time, I’m not sure what kind of food to provide as a main dish). Party planning can be overwhelming, but I have found a great tool…Purple Trail. Purple Trail is like having your own event planner!

I’m sure you’re wondering what makes Purple Trail so special and what exactly it is they do!

• Purple Trail allows you to create and send out online invitations (and birthday cards and holiday cards…) without those annoying ads that many online invitations and cards come with! They have hundreds of pre-designed online invites, ecards and announcements to choose from. Choose one and send it as is or you can customize it with your own photos, videos, music, and embellishments. You can even choose to make your own design from scratch. The Design Center is super easy to use. If you don’t believe me, just check out this video.
  

• You can also create a matching event website that is interactive. Not only can guests find all the necessary details (directions, dress code, etc.), but they can also RSVP and add their two cents about time and location. And…they even have a potluck feature where guests can specify what they’re bringing to the party (I really like this feature…makes my life easier for sure)!

• Purple Trail allows you to share your invitation via Twitter and Facebook. Plus, with the easy to use Address Book, you can import your contacts from Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail.

• If you’re one of those people who is always looking for a good reason to entertain, check out the Party Trail section of the site. You’re sure to find a reason for gathering or celebrating! Whether you’re planning a basic dinner party, a Girls Night Out (or In), or a football party, you’re sure to find some fun ideas and great tips.

• Purple Trail even allows you to interact with your guest after the event. You can design and send thank you notes. You can even share photos and videos of the event and allow your guests to do the same.

Purple Trail has several plans available to you. These plans range in price from Free to $49.95/year. To find out more about these plans, click here.

Purple Trail has graciously offered to give one of my readers a Basic Membership which is valued at $14.95/year.

Want to Win It? Simply head on over to Purple Trail and leave a comment here with your favorite design style. This is required!

Want Extra Entries:**

1. Follow Simplified Saving on Blogger (or with Google Friend Connect).

2. Subscribe to Simplified Saving via email and /or RSS feed.

3. Blog about this giveaway and link back to this page (Leave your post URL)

4. Take my pretty new button and post it on your blog. (Leave your blog URL)

5. Follow me on Twitter (@LisaAboutLife) and tweet this: Win a @PurpleTrail Basic Membership to help with your holiday party planning! Fun Giveaway @LisaAboutLife http://bit.ly/28Ow6E (Leave your tweet URL)

6. Leave a comment with your favorite tip for planning a stress free party!

**Please leave a separate comment for every entry. If your email address is not visible in your Blogger profile, please leave your email address with every comment! This giveaway will be closed on November 20th at 8pm ET.

{Disclosure: I was provided with a Premium Membership to Purple Trail in conjunction with Mama Buzz.}

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One of my deepest desires is to make a difference…in my family, in my church, in my community, in the world. If you’ve ever dreamed of making a difference, this book is for you!

Jantsen’s Gift is the story of a woman who seemingly has it all…a great family, a job she loves, and a beautiful home, yet she is plagued by an internal restlessness, a desire for more. In the first few chapters, Pam shares the devastating loss of her 15 year old son, Jantsen, to an undiagnosed heart ailment. Crippled by grief, Pam struggled to complete even the simplest of tasks.

Pam was pulled out of her downward spiral when her family traveled to Vietnam over Thanksgiving to see an orphanage her family was considering as a recipient of Jantsen’s Memorial Fund. On that trip, Pam saw the devastating needs of children in Asia. She was awakened to the horrors of slavery and child trafficking. She saw first hand how devastating it can be for a child to live in an orphanage, without even basic necessities. This trip was the catalyst Pam needed to not only get her life back, but also to change the lives of others. Pam went on to start Touch A Life Foundation and rescue children in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ghana. She also adopted 2 kids from Vietnam during the process.

This book is a story of hope…of triumph over tragedy…of one mom who makes an incredible difference. As an adoptive mom, I have seen the difference hope and security can make in the life of a child. When kids don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from, where they will sleep, and if they will be safe, they can focus on learning, making friends, and reaching their potential!

If you have ever dreamed of making a difference in the life of a child, this book is for you. Read it with a box of tissues nearby…you’ll need them! If you’d like to read more, visit Hachette Book Group or check out the Open Book widget in the sidebar of this blog. If you’re part of a book club, check out the Reading Group Guide! This book can also be purchased on Amazon for $18.24.

(Disclosure: I was provided with this book, free of charge, by Hachette Book Group, in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed are my own and were in no way influenced by the free book!)

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One of my deepest desires is to make a difference…in my family, in my church, in my community, in the world. If you’ve ever dreamed of making a difference, this book is for you!

Jantsen’s Gift is the story of a woman who seemingly has it all…a great family, a job she loves, and a beautiful home, yet she is plagued by an internal restlessness, a desire for more. In the first few chapters, Pam shares the devastating loss of her 15 year old son, Jantsen, to an undiagnosed heart ailment. Crippled by grief, Pam struggled to complete even the simplest of tasks.

Pam was pulled out of her downward spiral when her family traveled to Vietnam over Thanksgiving to see an orphanage her family was considering as a recipient of Jantsen’s Memorial Fund. On that trip, Pam saw the devastating needs of children in Asia. She was awakened to the horrors of slavery and child trafficking. She saw first hand how devastating it can be for a child to live in an orphanage, without even basic necessities. This trip was the catalyst Pam needed to not only get her life back, but also to change the lives of others. Pam went on to start Touch A Life Foundation and rescue children in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ghana. She also adopted 2 kids from Vietnam during the process.

This book is a story of hope…of triumph over tragedy…of one mom who makes an incredible difference. As an adoptive mom, I have seen the difference hope and security can make in the life of a child. When kids don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from, where they will sleep, and if they will be safe, they can focus on learning, making friends, and reaching their potential!

If you have ever dreamed of making a difference in the life of a child, this book is for you. Read it with a box of tissues nearby…you’ll need them! If you’d like to read more, visit Hachette Book Group or check out the Open Book widget in the sidebar of this blog. If you’re part of a book club, check out the Reading Group Guide! This book can also be purchased on Amazon for $18.24.

(Disclosure: I was provided with this book, free of charge, by Hachette Book Group, in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed are my own and were in no way influenced by the free book!)

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