Aloha Friday #154

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement is . .If you wrote a movie about your life, what would the title be?

(My answer to my question: The title of the movie I would write about my life is "Hahahahaha!")

Die Cut Business Cards Giveaway

Designer Cards, blogger cards and so much more… From marketing materials to personal cards, business cards have developed from the plain boring to a more modern with rounded corners, square cards and slim cards. UPrinting is giving one lucky Moana Saves reader the chance to win die cut business cards!

The winner will receive 250 Die Cut Business Cards with the following options available: 

• 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.75 x 3.5” (slim card) 
• Die cutting options available: Rounded Corners, Leaf, Rounded One-Corner, Half-Circle Side, Circle
• Paper Type: 14pt Cardstock Gloss, Matte, or High Gloss or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
• Color: 4Color Front, Blank Back; 4Color Front, Black Back; 4Color Both Sides

Check out all these options and more at http://www.uprinting.com/business-cards.html  

To enter to this giveaway, for your mandatory entry, tell me what you would use UPrinting die cut business cards for. 

Leave a comment for each optional entry you complete:

1. Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect (right side bar)

2. Follow me on Twitter.

3. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following:
#Win 250 die cut business cards from @UPrinting and @moanasaves #giveaway http://bit.ly/aymvw9

4. Follow @UPrinting on Twitter.

5. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).


6. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.


7. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

8. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Thursday, October 7th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.  

Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation from UPrinting.com. I will be receiving 250 die cut business cards for hosting this giveaway.  Any and all opinions are my own.  

 

                   

               

Wordless Wednesday

doggone, originally uploaded by fishndiver.

I Just Love This Guy!

I found a link to Keenan Cahill's funny videos on Youtube here.  Watched about a half dozen of them and I'm passing the smiles and giggles on to you now.  Enjoy!

Things Local Kids in Hawai'i Love to Eat

There's a definite Asian influence to what kids in Hawai'i eat.  I'm limiting this list to snack foods although, argue-ably, fried chicken with ketchup might be a full-on meal item. Also, yes, our kids eat fruit and veggies! I'm just listing these snacks that are particular to Hawai'i.  Here they are in no particular order:

1. Li Hing Mui anything, especially sour candy or fruit. The wiki I've linked to states that mui is the dried plum but lots of "li hing-ed" products here say "li hing mui" and then the candy/food/etc.

2. Spam Musubi: 'nuff said but here's more info if you need it. Spam musubi is a great post-soccer game snack!

3. Shave Ice

4. Mangoes off the tree: a kid showed me how to eat the mango so that it doesn't make a mess.  First you roll it on the ground a bit until it softens up.  Then you bite a small hole at the top and suck all the juice and pulp out of it.  'Ono!

5. Mochi cracker: in and out of popcorn.

6. Top Ramen: (called saimin) dry from the package with or without the soup base. Cooked or "raw", this stuff is not good for you so I try not to keep it in the house.

7. Fried chicken with ketchup.

8. Rice candy

9. Nori: my kids will eat this right out of the package.

These are just the ones that I know about.  Can you think of other Hawai'i-specific treats that Local kids love?  Here's a simple recipe that delivers the nostalgic kid-friendly flavor of Hawai'i. Enjoy!

Review of the Haunted Lagoon: Be There To Be Scared!

Last night, the Hub, the First Born and I went to the Haunted Lagoon's Preview Night at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  This was the first time I've ever been to the Haunted Lagoon even though its seriously just down the street from our house and this is the third year PCC has hosted it.  I'm not big on scary.  Horror movies feel like a waste of time: why get all stressed out being afraid? Suspense movies are only a slight improvement on the horror genre: stress for me but without all the blood.  I can do suspense as long as I know in advance like I did with the Haunted Lagoon.

Oh it was scary, all right! The First Born tells me that the special effects are better than ever this year and I noticed the mix of live and dead action. (Pun!)  I screamed.  A lot.  I wanted my mommy but all I had next to me was a skinny teenager.  The Lady is indeed frightening as are the swampy creatures around the canoe.  The atmosphere of the Haunted Lagoon is mucho creepy, complete with shrouded mist, terrifying props, and a bone-chilling soundtrack.  I'm sure everyone around me enjoyed my screaming.  And that's what's important at Halloween--sharing the spirit of terror and hysteria.

For those with children, there is a keiki version of the Haunted Lagoon (info below) and I should point out to scaredy cats like me that although the Haunted Lagoon is scary it is in no ways threatening.  Happy Halloween, everyone! Information about the Haunted Lagoon follows:

POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER’S ‘HAUNTED LAGOON’ RETURNS FROM THE DEAD THIS OCTOBER. The Lā’ie Lady is back, and this time SHE MAY NOT LET YOU LEAVE!

What: “Haunted Lagoon” canoe ride at the  Polynesian Cultural Center

When: Oct. 1 – 23, 2010
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Oct. 25 – 30, 2010
Monday – Saturday
*Closed on Halloween
Box Office open from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., time subject to ticket availability
Canoes run from 6:30 p.m. (“Keiki canoe rides” run from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.)

Where: Polynesian Cultural Center, 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy., Lā‘ie, Hawai‘i

Why: Brave souls are invited to get into the Halloween spirit early this year on Hawaii’s most popular haunted canoe ride, featuring a ghostly cast of over 100. Daring passengers may even catch sight of the otherworldly Lā‘ie Lady, who’s looking for some company this year. The center offers a keiki version of the ride for the entire family and a “spookier” version for braver souls. Admission: Booking Haunted Lagoon tickets in advance is strongly recommended as limited space is available and seats often sell out. Tickets for kamaaina are $19.50 per adult and $14.50 for keiki. General tickets are $25.00 per adult and $20.00 for children.
Kamaaina Annual Pass holders may ride free on weekdays and for a discounted rate on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests can also purchase tickets to a fast pass line for a shorter wait. Kamaaina Gold Pass Members receive one free admission and fast pass line access per night. Bring in a Pepsi product on Wednesdays and receive $5 off admission. $3 off coupons are also available at participating 76 gas stations, Domino’s Pizza and 7-Eleven locations. During the Fall Break Special, from Oct. 1 to 9, kamaaina students (elementary through high school) can show their school I.D. to receive $5.00 off admission. Offers and specials cannot be combined.

Information: For more information, to check ticket availability or to make reservations, visit www.HauntedLagoon.com or call the Polynesian Cultural Center ticket office toll-free at (800) 367-7060. In Hawai‘i, call (808) 293-3333.

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from the Polynesian Cultural Center for this review.  Any and all opinions are my own.  All images and video courtesy of the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Aloha Friday #153

from Kailani's blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

My question/statement is . .

 If you were to have an ideal day, what would it be?

Be Afraid . . . . Be Very Afraid.

As a member of Hawaii's social media, I've been invited to a Friday night sneak preview of the Polynesian Cultural Center's Haunted Lagoon.  I hear that this year is better than ever---but how would I know?  I've been too chicken to go the last few years.  And now blogging is making me swallow my fears and go.  Plus the Lady of Laie has been tweeting. She's scary.

 And so are her friends . . .

I hope I get out alive . . .

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from the Polynesian Cultural Center for this post.  Any and all opinions are my own.  All images courtesy of the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Wordless Wednesday

Humpback Whales, originally uploaded by fishndiver.

For the Ladies: Review and Giveaway of the Diva Cup

Discussing menstrual products on my blog.  Its a tricky thing.  The hub even made me show this to him before I put it up.  Sometimes I can be the queen of TMI.  I guess he's trying to keep me at the princess level of TMI so we can hold on to our family's dignity.  But talking about menstrual cycles isn't such a big deal! It just depends on how you do it.  So don't worry, I won't embarrass you or me in this post. Okay? Okay.

I contacted Carinne Chambers at Diva International because I believe in their product.  I've used a Diva Cup for nearly four years (not the same one, mind you) and its quite possibly the easiest and the smartest thing I've done to reduce my eco-footprint on the earth.  Back when I first started to use the Diva Cup, it seemed a cheap alternative to the feminine hygiene products I could get at the drugstore.  It bothered me that I had to buy new product every few months especially as I tend to like the ones that are more expensive.  Now, four years later, I haven't gone back to disposable products because its easy to use the Diva Cup.  Seriously!  The learning curve isn't very steep at all.  If I can use one, anyone can.  Sorry, no instruction video here to show you.  That would embarrass my hub.

You can check out all of the info on the Diva Cup website about their product.  The Cup is made from the highest quality silicone, has no chlorine, dyes, colorings or additives of any kind, and is in no way connected to Toxic Shock Syndrome.  Further, it has been approved by the FDA, Health Canada, and holds an international ISO 13485:2003 manufacturing certification.  The Diva Cup was developed by a mother-daughter team who recognize that “not every woman can afford a hybrid car nor easily convert their home to solar power. Yet, by choosing to use a menstrual cup instead of disposable tampons and pads, any woman is able to make an environmentally responsible choice each month. This is no small matter. In the U.S. alone, billions of tampons and pads are dumped into landfills and the environment each year" (Carinne Chambers).


Yes, yes, all of that is well and good but you really want to know what its like to use it, don't you?  Short of getting a bit too graphic on a family-friendly blog, I can tell you that inserting it and taking it out takes a little practice. Otherwise, its a breeze to use.  You can use the same cup for a year or even longer according to the FAQ.  I've used the ones I've had for over a year before replacing them.  The Diva Cup comes in two sizes: Model 1 is for women younger than 30 who have not experienced childbirth; Model 2 is for women over 30 and/or those who have given birth.  It also comes with a cute little drawstring bag and Diva pin. 


BUY IT

You can find a store near you that sells the Diva Cup here.
or
You can purchase one online at Amazon.

WIN IT
One lucky woman will win a Diva Cup of her own.  To earn a mandatory entry, go to the Diva Cup site and tell me something you've learned about the product itself or about women's health.   (Mandatory entry means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.)

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the left side).

2.  Follow me on Twitter.

3. Follow @DivaCup on Twitter

4. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following:
#Win a Diva Cup ($40 ARV) from @moanasaves and @DivaCup #giveaway http://bit.ly/cYUpd5

5. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

6. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

7. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

Two new options for this giveaway:

8. Like the (new!) Moana Saves Facebook page.

9. Like the Diva Cup Facebook page.

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S. or Canada  This giveaway ends on Tuesday, October 5th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from Diva International to host this giveaway.  Any and all opinions are my own. 

Another Amazon $25 Code Giveaway

Did you know its fun to give stuff away?  I had a blast with the last giveaway and I truly appreciate everyone who came to see the new digs here.  So much so that I'm giving away another Amazon $25 code!

To earn a mandatory entry, become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the left side) and tell me what you'll get at Amazon.  Mandatory entry means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Follow me on Twitter.

2. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following:
#Win a $25 Amazon GC from @moanasaves #giveaway http://bit.ly/aIwxyq

3. Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

4. Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

5. Put Moana Saves on your blog list.

Two new options for this giveaway:

6. Like the (new!) Moana Saves Facebook page.

7. Leave a meaningful comment on any one of my non-giveaway posts. (Limit 3)

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Saturday, October 2nd at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.  One additional change in the rules: if you have won an Amazon $25 code from Moana Saves within the last 30 days, you are not eligible for this giveaway.

Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from Amazon to host this giveaway.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Nutrisystem Update #2

After 2 weeks and 2 days on Nutrisystem, I'm down over 6 lbs--and this after one off-plan day this week and in the face of "monthly womanhood".  Usually I'm a lot crankier during this time and unable to stay on any kind of eating plan.  While I feel hungrier than usual, I'm eating extra veggies (craving pickles--no, no pregger cravings) and drinking more water.

And I love not having to cook! The hub has been gone for the past week so dinners for the kids have been mostly sandwiches or Taco Bell.  Makes it easy for me to stay on plan with my food.  I think it will still be easy to eat Nutrisystem even when the hub is back tomorrow but its been nice to have the break from meal planning and prep.

So here's to the last two weeks of my accidental Nutrisystem experiment and to talking the hub into buying another month of it.  Cross your fingers and everything else for me!

Winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway . . .

. . . is #62, Timbo!  Congrats!  I have contacted Timbo via email.  I had so much fun doing this giveaway, I'll be putting up another one--probably later today.  Just to be fair, my main rule in addition to the others will be that the new winner can't have won one of the Amazon gift card giveaways here at Moana Saves in the last 30 days.  But if you entered and you didn't win, please come back to enter my next Amazon GC giveaway!  (you can come back as well, Timbo!)

I still can't figure out how to insert the random.org frame showing the winner here.  If someone wants to explain to me how to do it, please email me!

Aloha Friday #151

Grabbing Kailani's Aloha Friday blurb from her blog:

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday. In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response. If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Today makes a week the hub has been off-island.  As usual, the first few days without him are kind of fun.  The girls and I feel like its one long girl's night out.  But soon enough I start to miss him and realize how much he supports me as a partner and a parent.  Sigh.  I'm ready for him to come home but that doesn't happen until Sunday.

How do you do when you and your significant other are separated for periods of time?

Nutrisystem Breaking News!

Omigosh! I just tried the Nutrisystem Nutrichocolates.  They're a dessert item that are kind of like Hershey's kisses without all the bothersome foil.

They are so good!  Really good! Like not-on-a-diet good.  I'm going to have to write to Nutrisystem and ask them to add what's in the Nutrichocolates to the Fudge Brownies.  Yum and with 8g of protein even!

Winners for The Reapers are the Angels Giveaway

I was so excited to use the random numbers generator to pick winners for the The Reapers giveaway!  Because I'm not technologically savvy enough to figure out how to insert screen shots of the numbers generated, I had to (which means you have to, ha!) make do with taking pictures of the winning numbers with my cell camera.  Embarassing.  But. On to the winners:

The first random number generated was #21 which means Maja is a winner!

The second number generated was #6 which means Breanne is a winner!

And, finally, the third number generated was #10 which means BookMarc Blogpants is a winner!








Mahalo nui loa to all of you who stopped by, read my review and went to the publisher's website to check out Alden Bell and more info about The Reapers are the Angels.  The winners have been contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize before another winner is chosen in their place.

Mahalo again!

Wordless Wednesday

paradiasical vision, originally uploaded by fishndiver

Time Machine Tuesday (Darcel Wynne - Solid Gold Lead Dancer)

So I'm driving home from town with the kids in tow, thinking about what to blog next.  Oh, I have lots of ideas but I'm soooo tired tonight.  I invented a Tuesday meme (I hope) that was triggered by an Air Supply song on the radio and my sappy singing along which made the kiddos laugh. Air Supply led to vintage 80s Elton John and pretty soon I was thinking about the Solid Gold dancers and how can I nostalgia-late about Solid Gold without reflecting upon the glory that was the Solid Gold head dancer, Darcel?  (not possible, I tell you!)  And just like everything else in this world, several montages of Darcel's work on Solid Gold are available on youtube.  I chose this one because it has more than one Duran Duran song (ah, Nick Rhodes, why didn't you pick me? Just because I wasn't British or a rich heiress?).  I especially like when Darcel does the worm around 4:20.

Happy Time Machine Tuesday everyone! Peace out!

Nutrisystem Update #1

I've been on Nutrisystem for over a week now and I've lost over 3 lbs!  I feel good and I'm hardly ever hungry.  I love not having to think at length about what I'm going to eat.  I pick an entry for whatever meal is coming and group it with whatever veggie and/or fruit I have on hand.  My two dairy/protein stand-bys have been skim milk and lowfat cottage cheese.  The food is portable so I don't have to eat off-plan (I just take it with me) and I don't feel like I'm missing out at all.  As a result of the ease of this food plan, I spend more time on the things that make me happy (blogging is one!), I have plenty of energy and I don't feel put upon about having to move/exercise more.

Not all has been perfectly perfect. I *allowed* myself to eat off plan for my daughter's birthday.  Twice.  But with Nutrisystem it is easy to climb back on for the next meal.  Also, not all of the meals have been winners for me.  I like food with strong flavor and interesting texture.  As a result, I find myself enjoying most of the Italian entries.  On the other hand, because of the texture, I haven't liked the Asian dishes.  I also don't like the ones with chicken and gravy because the taste is canned-bland (my own term; my own rhyme).

As for the desserts, most everything has been treat-like except for the fudge brownie (which has me asking, "why, why?").  My kids zeroed in on the brownie when I opened it and were sorely disappointed at the taste.  To me it tasted like artificial sweetener.  But the other desserts don't.  Shrug.  For breakfast, I've been enjoying the scones although nowhere else in the free world would these things be called scones.  Still, they're fab with skim milk.  The snacks with a strong flavor have been good (nacho crisps, honey mustard pretzels).  Some of the others taste like soy.  I'm ok with the ups and downs of how the Nutrisystem food tastes.  Real life eating off-plan is often the same.  At least with Nutrisystem I don't have to worry about gaining when an entree or snack doesn't taste the way I'd like it to.  One last plus: everything is fortified with protein so I'm never feeling weak.

I'll continue to check in regarding my weight on Fridays.  (If you use your imagination, right now is the back end of Friday.)  I'm going to start recording my measurements on Mondays as a way to further inspire myself to keep it up.  One particular moment when I was proud of myself was when we ordered pizza for dinner.  I took out my Nutrisystem pizza and made it for me instead of eating Dominoes.  And my pizza was satisfying enough that I didn't even long for Dominoes.  Who am I?  Fah-reaky!

10 Things Tourists Should Know about Hawai'i and its People

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hawaje-NoRedLine.jpg

1.  Hawai'i is a state. There are 50 states. We are a state of islands; you came from the "mainland". When you go back, you'll go back to the "mainland". You can use it in a sentence like this: I live in a small town on the mainland.

2.  We don't use the term "Hawaiian" to refer to anything place-based here.  Because of the cultural and political history of Hawaii, only Native Hawaiians are Hawaiian.  For example, we don't refer to Hawaiian weather or Hawaiian politics.  Instead we say Hawai'i weather or Hawai'i politics.

3.  Sometimes local drivers will tailgate slower cars.  Sometimes tourists will drive slowly, taking in the Ko'olau range on one side of the road and the ocean on the other.  If you find another car following yours too closely, you should pull over and let him/her pass.

4.  Many people who speak pidgin (what linguists call Hawaii Creole English) can speak standard American English.  If you hear someone local speaking pidgin, its because that person feels most comfortable speaking it or because the context of the situation allows it.

5.  Sharks in Hawai'i don't eat people.  Many here consider them our "aumakua" or guardians.  As an example, when Bethany Hamilton lost her arm, she went back to the water and apologized to the sharks.  People here try to live in harmony with the animals and the land.

6.   Aloha Spirit, while generous and expansive, is also reciprocal.  That means if someone in Hawai'i is gracious to you (thus reflecting the Aloha Spirit), you should return the favor, thereby keeping the Aloha Spirit alive.  We'll even let you take some Aloha back home with you.

7.  People here eat Spam but they don't eat it every day at every meal.  And its not polite to react negatively to the idea of eating Spam.  Its like me going to your house and turning up my nose at something you like to eat.

8.  Take your shoes off when you come visit our house; it shows respect to our culture and our home.

9.  Never, never turn your back on the ocean.  It will sneak up and knock you down. Don't ask me how I know.  As a related aside, if lifeguards post signs warning you not to go into the ocean, you should comply.  They know Hawai'i waters better than the malihini, or visitors, do.

10.  The people of Hawai'i are just as warm and beautiful as the islands themselves.  If you remember this during your visit, often the rest will take care of itself.

**If all else fails, listen to some IZ.  He will help you understand Hawai'i nei.

Mahalo nui loa to @kailualisa and @underdad for their feedback and assistance with this list.  Hawai'i tweeps no ka oi!

Wordless Wednesday

Please identify:, originally uploaded by fishndiver.

Review [and Giveaway] of The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell

If this this novel were a movie, the humans would beat the zombies and the status-quo of humanity, all of our strengths and weaknesses, would prevail once again. Instead of being an all-or-nothing story of good v. evil, Alden Bell (a.k.a. Joshua Gaylord) allows it all to co-exist. Good sits next to evil; beauty and ugliness can live in the same person and violence is just a stone's throw away from love. Miracles even happen in the midst of turmoil, as Temple, the 15 yr old female narrator, points out on the first page: “God is a slick god . . . because of all the crackerjack miracles still to be seen on this ruined globe.” This novel, replete with all the hope of the human condition in a time of utter hopelessness, is a good read. A really good read.

First, I should probably out myself: I am not a zombie fan and I don't read post-apocalyptic stuff. I teach literature and so, in this book, I dig the extended (and not so extended) metaphors, the allusions to other works (O'Connor, Faulkner and the Bible, just to name a few) and the prose that is, alternately, gorgeous and translucent. Further Gaylord/Bell, in an online interview, has talked about the American-ness of his novel's setting: “the apocalypse in Reapers does destroy America, but it also resets it to its original promise. It becomes, once again, a landscape where you can build things from scratch. So it’s anti- and pro-American Dream at the same time. And the zombies? To me, they’re like cilantro – if I can figure out a way to add them into the mix, I’ll do it.” Deep , isn't it? And he mentioned cilantro—my favorite herb for seasoning food. But, I digress . . .

In particular, I found Temple's voice as narrator the thing I most enjoyed about Reapers. Through her eyes the cynical landscape of the novel just makes sense. She says things like “try not to look so evil of portent” to Maury, her traveling companion, evincing a Southern folk wisdom running counter to her age. She also kicks a** which is where things get gory in the novel. Because Bell creates such a memorable character in Temple, the main criticism about the novel refers to the ending. (Sorry, no spoilers from me.) But any other ending would not have been true to the story and what drove the novel's action.

So, whether you're a reader like me who wants to nod sagely at Bell's numerous literary allusions, or whether you just want to read a good book, I recommend The Reapers are the Angels.

Giveaway

Have I convinced you?

Because you can buy The Reapers are the Angels here.

Or

Because the publisher of The Reapers are the Angels has been generous enough to provide them, three of you will win your own copy of the book!

To earn a mandatory entry, go to the publisher's website for The Reapers are the Angels. Come back and tell me one thing you learned about the book or the author. (Mandatory entry means that if you don't do this first, all of your other entries will be disqualified.)

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

Become a public follower of Moana Saves via Google Friend Connect (on the left side).

Follow me on Twitter.

Follow @HenryHolt (the publisher) on Twitter.

Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following:
#Win The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell from @HenryHolt and @moanasaves http://bit.ly/abnn78 #giveaway

Subscribe to my feed via RSS reader (right side) and/or email updates (left side).

Grab my button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over.

Put Moana Saves on your blog list.


Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Tuesday, September 14th at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.


Disclosure: I did not receive any form of compensation from Henry Holt and Company for this book review or to host this giveaway.  Any and all opinions are my own.

Labor Day 2010 Photo Essay

Sigh.  Our Labor Day was all about the First Born's birthday which is actually on Thursday but the hub will be out of town next weekend so we celebrated in advance. With her friends. Who are teenagers.  Now the hub and I are tired so I'll leave you with a photo-essay of the birthday party today: